Iowa Hawkeyes Upset Florida Gators in Nail-Biting Finish

On Sunday night, the Iowa Hawkeyes pulled off a thrilling victory against the defending NCAA men’s basketball champions, the Florida Gators, with a final score of 73-72.

With just seconds left and a two-point lead, Iowa’s Bennett Stiltz received the inbounds pass and quickly moved upcourt. He found Alvaro Folgueiras in the corner, who stepped back, ensuring he was behind the 3-point line before sinking the decisive shot with a little over four seconds remaining.

In an emotional moment, Folgueiras celebrated by pointing skyward in tribute to his late father before embracing his mother in the stands. “It’s really special,” he shared post-game. “We’ve had many moments this season. My mom’s been there for me all her life, and to have her here now… this is truly special. It’s for dreamers, and we are dreamers.”

Notable Performances

Folgueiras contributed 14 points and five rebounds, while Iowa State’s standout, Tavion Banks, added 20 points with an impressive shooting percentage of 70%. On the other side, Florida’s Alex Condon led his team with 21 points, alongside seven assists and five rebounds. Teammates Thomas Ho and Xavien Lee chipped in 19 and 17 points, respectively.

This victory marks Iowa State’s first trip to the Sweet 16 since 1999—a year when they fell to UConn, who were then led by Rip Hamilton.

As for the Gators, this loss eliminates their chances for back-to-back championships, meaning Dan Hurley’s UConn remains the only team to achieve consecutive titles since Florida State’s own championship runs in 2006 and 2007.