Iowa (22-12, 10-10 Big Ten) meets top-seeded and defending national champion Florida (27-7, 16-2 SEC) in the second round of the South Region on Sunday.
The ninth-seeded Hawkeyes are eyeing the program’s first Sweet 16 berth since 1999 if they can topple the Gators. Iowa enters after a 67-61, grind-it-out victory over No. 8 seed Clemson in the first round.
Senior point guard Bennett Stirtz led Iowa with 16 points against the Tigers, but he connected on just 4-of-17 field goal attempts. Iowa juniors Kael Combs and Alvaro Folgueiras added 15 and 14 points, respectively to lead the Hawkeyes.
As Iowa looks to spring the tournament’s biggest upset, follow along with Hawkeyes Wire for live updates, including the latest score and highlights:
NO BEER IN TAMPA. HAWKEYES WIN, HAWKEYES WIN!
For the first time since 1999, Iowa is headed to the Sweet 16! Iowa knocks off the Florida Gators in Tampa.
Alvaro Folgueiras is the hero. And Iowa’s final defensive possession was a masterclass. Gators didn’t get a shot off.
Alvaro Folgueiras puts Iowa in front
Folgueiras cashes the go-ahead 3-pointer from the corner. Iowa leads, 73-72.
Florida has one final possession with 4.5 seconds remaining out of an Iowa timeout.
8.9, 2nd Half: Florida 72, Iowa 70
Florida leads by two. Iowa has the basketball with 8.9 seconds remaining after the Gators make 1-of-2 from the charity stripe.
Will Iowa play for the tie or the win? Hawkeyes have one timeout left if they want to use it once they get the basketball across half court.
1:10, 2nd Half: Florida 71, Iowa 68
Banks cut Iowa’s deficit to just one as he got inside the Gators’ defense and slammed it home.
But, Florida’s Lee responds with a layup. Then, after an Iowa turnover, Florida drives and loses the basketball out of bounds with 1:10 left to play. Initially ruled Florida basketball and last touched by Iowa, the Hawkeyes challenge for possession.
The challenge is successful.
2:40, 2nd Half: Florida 69, Iowa 66
Florida finds the mismatch inside for two from Condon and has a three-point lead inside three minutes left to play.
The Gators call its second-to-last timeout.
Iowa challenges, wins possession
Iowa challenged possession and wins. Hawkeye basketball.
3:55, 2nd Half: Iowa 66, Florida 65
Koch showing some major guts in Tampa. The redshirt freshman rains home another 3-pointer with a Florida defender draped all over him.
At the under-four media timeout, Iowa leads the Gators, 66-65.
At the media stoppage, the referees ruled Florida basketball on a play where possession sailed out of bounds. Upon review, it should be reversed to Iowa basketball with the Hawkeyes leading by one and heading down the home stretch.
6:44, 2nd Half: Iowa 61, Florida 60
After the Gators grab their first lead since they led 11-8 in the first half, Koch splashes an open corner 3-pointer to put Iowa right back in front.
Going to be a nail-biter.
8:16, 2nd Half: Iowa 57, Florida 56
Manyawu gets his shot swatted away and Florida’s Xaivian Lee cans a transition 3-pointer. Gators back within just one.
Iowa calls timeout with 8:16 left to play.
11:25, 2nd Half: Iowa 55, Florida 47
Iowa still has an eight-point lead over the top-seeded Gators, but foul trouble is mounting in a serious way.
Folgueiras has four fouls for the Hawkeyes. Cam Manyawu, Koch and Banks all have three fouls apiece as well.
Florida is already in the 1-and-1 bonus.
14:11, 2nd Half: Iowa 51, Florida 39
Iowa’s Cooper Koch drains another 3-pointer, his second of the second half. Iowa leads the defending champions by a dozen.
Florida’s Todd Golden needs a timeout.
15:47, 2nd Half: Iowa 44, Florida 37
The Hawkeyes lead Florida by seven at the under-16.
Banks now has 18 points on the day. Iowa’s Cam Manyawu has three fouls, but Florida’s
HALFTIME: Iowa 33, Florida 31
Kael Combs hits a twisting shot in the paint to give Iowa a halftime lead over Florida.
Iowa is shooting 48% from the field, led by Banks’ 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Iowa is just 1-of-11 from beyond the arc.
The Hawkeyes are outrebounding Florida, 18-14. Iowa also leads in points in the paint, 18-12.
Iowa led by as many as 10 in the opening half.
1:08, 1st Half: Iowa 31, Florida 29
Timeout Iowa.
Florida tosses an alley-oop slam up to Condon and the Gators trail by just two.
Iowa is shooting an icy 1-for-11 from 3-point range. Stirtz has just six points on 3-of-7 shooting and he’s 0-for-4 from downtown.
But, the Hawkeyes lead in points in the paint, 16-10, and on the glass, 17-14.
2:54, 1st Half: Iowa 28, Florida 25
Iowa hanging onto a three-point lead at the first half’s under-four timeout.
Banks is absolutely balling for the Hawkeyes so far in this one. The 6-foot-7 forward has a game-high 13 points so far on 5-for-7 shooting.
7:50, 1st Half: Iowa 23, Florida 13
Out of the scrum and stoppage between Folgueiras and Condon, Iowa’s Banks makes a pair of tough layups and Tate Sage makes one as well.
Iowa has opened up an early double-digit lead on the Gators.
Iowa held Florida without a made field goal for nine minutes.
‘Everybody got all sensitive’
Iowa head men’s basketball coach Ben McCollum delivers an all-time in-game quote on the double technical between Folgueiras and Condon.
“Yeah, I don’t know. I mean, they were just going for the ball and then everybody got all sensitive. Their people got sensitive, and it’s like, we’re just trying to play ball. But, that’s whatever. We’ll compete. We’ll fight. We’ll see what happens,” McCollum said.
Alvaro Folgueiras involved in review
As Alvaro Folgueiras got tied up with Florida’s Alex Condon, Folgueiras closes his fist and appears to punch at the basketball as he fell to the floor.
Upon review, both Folgueiras and Condon were assessed technical fouls. Feels like Iowa is fortunate that Folgueiras gets to stay in this basketball game.
11:38, 1st Half: Iowa 17, Florida 12
Iowa uses a 9-1 scoring run to build a five-point lead over the top-seeded Gators at the under-12 timeout.
Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz has scored six points on 3-for-4 shooting thus far.
15:36, 1st Half: Florida 9, Iowa 8
At the initial media timeout, Iowa is hanging in with No. 1 seed Florida.
The Gators scored the game’s first four points. Iowa responded with a 6-0 spurt to grab a brief 6-4 lead.
Iowa’s Tavion Banks has an early four points.
Underway in Tampa
The Florida Gators win the opening tipoff and we are underway in Tampa, Fla., from inside Benchmark International Arena.
Experts are all on the Florida Gators
There’s really no one nationally picking Iowa to pull the upset. All of the experts nationally are on the Florida Gators. But, hey, there’s got to be a major upset somewhere, right? Why not right here, right now?
Nothing of note on the injury report
There’s nothing of note on either team’s injury report going in. Peyton McCollum suffered a season-ending foot injury back in January.
Where to watch Iowa basketball vs. Florida in March Madness
Watch Iowa vs. Florida
TV: TBS
Tipoff time: 6:10 p.m. CT
Live stream: Watch on Sling (Regional restrictions may apply)
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa basketball vs. Florida today: Updates, score in March Madness
Reporting by Josh Helmer, Hawkeyes Wire / Hawkeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
