Tampa Showdown: Iowa State Edges Florida State in Nail-Biting Finish

TAMPA, Fla. – In a thrilling conclusion, Alvaro Folgueiras sank a 3-pointer with just 4.5 seconds remaining, leading Iowa State to a narrow 73-72 victory over the defending national champion Florida State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

This win marks a significant achievement for Iowa State, as they, under first-year coach Ben McCollum, advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015. Conversely, Florida State (27-8) made history as the first No. 1 seed to fall in this year’s March Madness.

The ninth-seeded Hawkeyes (23-12) had some catching up to do, trailing by 12 points in the second half. However, they mounted a comeback in the closing minutes and will now face No. 4 seed Nebraska in the South Regional semifinals this Thursday in Houston.

As the game neared its conclusion, Zayvian Lee’s driving layup gave Florida a 71-68 lead with less than two minutes on the clock. Bennett Staats quickly responded with a floater, narrowing the gap to 71-70 just 57 seconds later.

After a missed 3-pointer attempt by Thomas Ho, Staats also struggled with a running layup, allowing Isaiah Brown to secure the rebound with only 8.9 seconds left. Brown went to the line, making one of his free throws.

Iowa State then deftly countered Florida’s aggressive full-court press, which opened up an opportunity for Folgueiras to fire away from the corner. His 3-pointer sealed the deal as Florida’s final attempt—a frantic drive from Lee—concluded with a missed pass that Ho couldn’t corral in time.

Interestingly, Florida, who had displayed dominance with a 59-point win over Prairie View A&M just days prior, felt far less confident in this match-up. The atmosphere was electric, with numerous Gator fans in attendance at Benchmark International Arena, home to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Yet, what was meant to be a home advantage went awry, leaving fans shocked.

Tavion Banks was the standout for Iowa, scoring 20 points, while Folgueiras contributed 14 and Staats added 13 points despite a rough shooting night, going just 5 of 16. Cooper Koch chipped in with 12 points, all from behind the arc.

On the Florida side, Alex Condon led the charge with 21 points, while Ho and Lee followed with 19 and 17 points, respectively.

A notable moment came just past the midway point of the first half when a scuffle erupted between Condon and Folgueiras over a loose ball, resulting in both players hitting the floor. Folgueiras swung his arms but didn’t connect, leading to a brief separation. Florida’s coach, Todd Golden, rushed to the scene to defuse the tension, although both were ultimately assessed technical fouls.