The echoes of buzzer-beaters and bracket-busting reverberated through the first weekend of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, but few moments resonated quite like the stunning upset delivered by the No. 9 seed Iowa Hawkeyes over the top-ranked Florida Gators. The 73-72 victory, secured with a last-second three-pointer, not only eliminated the defending national champions but also sent shockwaves through the tournament, underscoring the unpredictable nature of March Madness. This high-profile upset caps off a thrilling opening round, marked by early exits for highly touted NBA prospects and a surprising surge from the Big Ten conference.
The game in Salt Lake City was a back-and-forth affair, with Florida battling back from a 12-point second-half deficit. Trailing 70-68, the Gators briefly regained the lead with a pair of Isaiah Brown free throws with under 10 seconds remaining. But the Hawkeyes, refusing to concede, executed a remarkable play. Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz, seemingly lost in the initial inbounds coverage, sprinted down the court and delivered a pinpoint pass to forward Alvaro Folgueiras, who calmly drained a three-pointer with just seconds on the clock. Florida’s final attempt, a desperate drive by Xaivian Lee, ended with a loose ball as time expired.
“On the last play, we wanted to take a foul to prevent them from getting off a three, and they got away from us,” a visibly frustrated Florida head coach Todd Golden explained in the postgame press conference, as reported by ESPN. “We weren’t able to take it and they knocked it down, so credit to them for that. Just a tough way to go out.” The loss marks a disappointing finish to Florida’s season and prevents them from becoming just the third program in the 21st century to repeat as national champions, joining Connecticut (2023-2024) and the Gators themselves (2006-2007).
Iowa’s victory, still, was a testament to resilience, and teamwork. Head coach Ben McCollum praised his team’s unwavering spirit. “It’s just tough kids,” McCollum said. “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.” The Hawkeyes now advance to the Sweet Sixteen, fueled by a belief that they can continue their improbable run.
Early Exits for NBA Prospects
The first weekend wasn’t just about Florida’s downfall. Two of the top three projected NBA Draft picks also saw their college careers end sooner than expected. Darryn Peterson of Kansas, widely considered a potential No. 1 overall pick, scored 21 points in the Jayhawks’ 67-65 loss to No. 5 St. John’s, a game decided by a buzzer-beating layup from Dylan Darling. Peterson finished the tournament averaging 24.5 points across two games, and importantly, played significant minutes, averaging 36.5, after battling injury issues during the regular season.
Joining Peterson on the sidelines is AJ Dybantsa, the highly-regarded forward from BYU. Dybantsa place up a valiant effort, scoring 35 points in the Cougars’ first-round loss to Texas. Although both players showcased their talent on the national stage, their tournament runs were ultimately cut short. Duke’s Cameron Boozer, another top prospect, remains in contention for a championship, as the Blue Devils secured a spot in the Sweet Sixteen.
A Conference Divide
The tournament’s opening rounds also highlighted a stark contrast in performance between the Big Ten and the ACC. The Big Ten is sending a remarkable six teams – Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, and Iowa – to the Sweet Sixteen, the most since 1975 and tied with the 2016 ACC for the second-most from a single conference in tournament history. The ACC, conversely, sent eight teams to the tournament but only Duke remains standing. This disparity raises questions about the relative strength of the conferences and the potential for a Big Ten team to craft a deep run in the tournament.
The Search for Cinderella
Despite the upsets, the opening weekend largely favored higher seeds, leading to a relatively predictable path to the Sweet Sixteen. Seven of the top eight seeds are still alive in the men’s bracket, with No. 11 Texas representing the lowest seed remaining. This lack of Cinderella stories has sparked debate about the impact of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals on the competitive balance of college basketball. The question of whether NIL has diminished the ability of smaller programs to compete with the financial resources of larger schools is likely to dominate sports talk shows this week.
On the women’s side, the tournament has been slightly more unpredictable, but still leans towards the top seeds. Only three lower seeds have secured victories as of Sunday evening, and two of those were No. 9 seeds defeating No. 8 seeds. However, the women’s bracket still features several highly-ranked players, including Connecticut’s Azzi Fudd, UCLA’s Lauren Betts, and Texas’ Madison Booker, setting the stage for potential star-studded matchups in the coming rounds.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on the remaining contenders as they battle for a spot in the Final Four. The Sweet Sixteen matchups promise to be intense, and the road to Phoenix will be fraught with challenges. The next round of games, beginning on Thursday, March 28th, will provide further clarity on which teams have the mettle to cut down the nets. You can find the complete schedule and bracket information on the official NCAA website.
What did you reckon of the first weekend’s upsets? Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments below, and be sure to share this article with fellow college basketball fans.
