Hawkeyes Punch Ticket to Sweet 16

TAMPA, Fla. – The ninth-seeded University of Iowa men’s basketball team defeated top-seeded Florida, 73-72, on Sunday night at Benchmark International Arena to advance to the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance since 1999. Junior Alvaro Folgueiras made a go ahead 3-pointer with four seconds remaining.

After falling behind 4-0 to open the game, Iowa responded and did not trail for the remainder of the first half. The Hawkeyes built a 23-13 lead with just under eight minutes remaining, holding Florida to 1-of-9 shooting and a scoring drought of more than six minutes during the stretch.

Florida rallied to tie the game at 31-31, but junior Kael Kombs scored late to give Iowa a 33-31 lead at halftime.

Senior Tavion Banks led the Hawkeyes with 14 first-half points on 5-of-8 shooting and added four rebounds. Iowa shot 12-of-25 (48 percent) from the field in the opening 20 minutes and outrebounded Florida, 18-14.

Iowa extended its lead to 51-39 early in the second half following a 3-pointer from redshirt freshman Cooper Koch, marking the Hawkeyes’ largest advantage of the game. Florida answered with a 21-7 run to regain the lead, its first since the opening minutes, and built a four-point edge with under six minutes remaining.

The Hawkeyes responded to take a 66-65 lead with four minutes to play, but Florida again moved in front, taking a three-point advantage inside the final two minutes. Banks cut the deficit to one with a dunk before senior Bennett Stirtz added a jumper to make it a one-point game with under a minute remaining.

Following a missed go-ahead opportunity, Iowa fouled, and Florida made 1-of-2 free throws to extend its lead. On the following possession, Folgueiras knocked down a go-ahead 3-pointer with four seconds remaining.

Iowa’s defense held on the final possession, preventing Florida from attempting a shot.

Banks finished with a game-high 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting and six rebounds. Folgueiras added 14 points and five rebounds, while Stirtz recorded 13 points, five rebounds, five assists, and a steal. Koch also scored in double figures with 12 points, connecting on four 3-pointers.

Iowa shot 51 percent (26-of-51) from the field, 29.2 percent (7-of-24) from 3-point range, and 63.6 percent (14-of-22) from the free throw line.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH BEN MCCOLLUM
“First off, congrats to Florida on their season. Obviously very well-coached, very physical team, defending national champions. In Division II I was fortunate enough to win a national title and then we actually got beat in the first round, which was pretty rough. 

But they got back to the 1 seed and had a spectacular season. I've got a lot of respect for their program. 

As far as my guys go, it's just tough. That's all it is. It's just tough kids. They fight. They compete. They stick with it. They exemplify everything that we've wanted in Iowa basketball. They've established the foundation that we've desperately needed and couldn't be any more proud of them.”

GAME NOTES

• Junior Alvaro Folgueiras hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds remaining to send Iowa to a 73-72 victory over top-seeded Florida and to the program’s first Sweet 16 since 1999 on Sunday night at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida.
  • Florida didn’t get a shot off before time expired as Xavier Lee fumbled the ball out of bounds.
• The win is Iowa’s second win all-time against a top-seeded team, joining the 1980 squad’s 88-77 win over Syracuse.
  • It is the first time since 2018 that a nine seed as beat a one seed (Florida State over Xavier).
  • Iowa is the ninth No. 9 seed all-time to take out a No. 1 seed.
• It is the ninth time in program history Iowa has advanced to the Sweet 16 and the first in 27 years.
• The game was played in front of a pro-Gator crowd of 14,717 in Tampa – 130 miles from Florida’s campus.
• The Hawkeyes had four players land in double figures: Tavion Banks (20), Alvaro Folgueiras (14), Bennett Stirtz (13), Cooper Koch (12)
• Banks notched his third 20-point game of the season, making 7-of-10 field goals, one 3-pointer and five free throws.  He also had a team-high six rebounds.
  • Banks scored 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting in the first half.
• Folgueiras made 3-of-5 field goals, including two 3-pointers, and went 6-for-6 from the line to land in double figures for the second straight game.  He also grabbed five rebounds.
  • Iowa is 14-1 this season when Folgueiras scores in double digits.
  • Folgueiras has been in double figures in all three games in his career in March Madness.
• Koch scored all 12 of his points in the second half, making 4-of-6 3-pointers in the game. 
  • It was his fourth game this season with at least four treys.
• Stirtz had 13 points, five rebounds and five assists, while playing all 40 minutes.
  • He has been in double digits in 33 of Iowa’s 35 games this season.
  • Stirtz has scored in double figures in all four career March Madness contests.
  • Stirtz has played 40 minutes 16 times this season and 56 times in his career.
• After taking a 33-31 lead into the half, the Hawkeyes opened the second half with a 13-2 run over the first six minutes to open a 51-39 lead. 
  • Iowa made its first seven shots of half two, including 3-pointers from Banks and two from Koch.
• Facing a 12-point deficit, the Gators responded with a 12-4 and 21-7 run to take their first lead of the second half at 60-58.  Iowa regained the lead at 61-60 and 66-65 on a 3-ball from Koch with 4:17 remaining.
  • Florida led 72-70 after making one of two free throws with eight seconds to play, Stirtz found Folgueiras in the corner for the 3 to give the Hawkeyes the lead.   
• The Hawkeyes were even on the glass against the much-taller Gators, 27-27.
• Iowa shot 51 percent from the floor and made seven 3s.  Florida shot 50 percent and made six 3s.
  • The Hawkeyes shot 70 percent on two-point field goals against Florida.  No team had done that against Todd Golden in his 144-game tenure in Gainesville.
  • Iowa had a 32-30 advantage in paint points. 
  • Iowa limited Florida to just 46 field goal attempts in the contest.
• Iowa made 7-of-12 shots to open the game, jumping out to a 17-12 lead.  The Hawkeyes held the Gators without a field goal for a seven-plus minute stretch where the team missed nine straight shots.
  • The Hawkeyes led by as many as 10 (23-13) with 8:11 to play in the first half and took a 33-31 lead into the locker room.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes will travel to Houston to face fourth-seeded Nebraska in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.  The game will tipoff at 6:30 p.m. (CT) and be televised on TBS.