The Iowa Hawkeyes have stunned the basketball world in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, sending the 1-seeded Florida Gators home after the 73-72 win in the second round on Sunday night.
Going into the matchup, the Hawkeyes were the underdog in comparison to the favorite status that Florida had. The Gators entered the contest as the defending champions, having won the national championship in 2025 after beating the Houston Cougars.
They seeked to defend their title this season, securing the 1-seed in the South Region of this year's tournament. They were on pace to do that, having torched Prairie View A&M in the first round.
However, Iowa had other plans. After beating Clemson in the first round, they took down the Gators in remarkable fashion in the final seconds. They pulled off a game-winning triple as Alvaro Folguieras knocked the shot down to stun Florida and open up the opportunity for a new champion to enter the picture.
🚨UPSET ALERT: NO. 9 IOWA TAKES THE LEAD OVER NO. 1 FLORIDA WITH 4.5 SECONDS LEFT 😱
Alvaro Folguieras hits the game-leading 3-pointer to potentially sink the defending champions 🔥
MARCH. MADNESS. 🍿
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 23, 2026
How Iowa played against Florida
It was a remarkable upset for the Iowa Hawkeyes to pull off, sending the Florida Gators home. Thanks to the Hawkeyes' efforts, there will be a new national champion for the 2025-26 season.
Four players scored in double-digits for Iowa in the win. Tavion Banks led the team with 20 points, six rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Alvaro Folguieras came next with 14 points and five rebounds, Bennett Stirtz had 13 points and five assists, while Cooper Koch provided 12 points and three rebounds.
Iowa improved to a 23-12 overall record on the season, having gone 10-10 in its Big Ten matchups. They finished at eighth place in the conference standings, performing well enough to earn an At-Large bid to the Big Dance.
The Hawkeyes will look forward to their journey in the Sweet 16. They take on the 4-seeded Nebraska Cornhuskers next week.
