March Madness Selections: Northern Iowa’s Surprising Call

Usually during the March Madness Selection Show, when a team’s name pops up, it’s all cheers and excitement. Take Hofstra, for example—there was a joyful uproar when they made it to the bracket after 25 years of waiting.

But Northern Iowa? Their reaction was quite the opposite. They sat in silence as their logo lit up the screen.

It was unclear if they were so confident they didn’t feel the need to react or if they were frustrated about their first-round matchup against St. John’s.

As it turns out, the stillness had nothing to do with arrogance or anger. They simply didn’t realize they had been selected. According to KWWL’s Mark Woodley, CBS used a quicker stream for viewer reactions, but it malfunctioned. So the team stayed still, unaware, while laughter from the announcer echoed in the background.

“Here we come,” someone finally spoke up, trying to lift the mood. Another chimed in jokingly, “Come on guys, tell them the news.”

Eventually, one player noticed the side screen bracket showing their matchup with the Johnnies. That’s when the players finally sprang from their seats, excited.

Northern Iowa made a significant leap in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, emerging as the No. 6 seed and winning four games in a row. This marked their first trip back to March Madness since 2016, famously remembered for Paul Jesperson’s half-court buzzer-beater against Texas.

Entering the tournament with a record of 23 wins and 12 losses, they’ve snagged the 12th seed. Senior guard Trey Campbell is leading the team with an average of 13.7 points per game, while four other teammates contribute at least nine points.

St. John’s Hot Streak

Meanwhile, the fifth-seeded St. John’s is also in great form, coming off six straight wins—including a commanding victory over UW to clinch the Big East Tournament title.

Their coach, Zubie Ejiofor, was unanimously named the Big East Player of the Year and also received Defensive Player of the Year honors. As March Madness kicks off, he’s averaging 16.3 points and 7.1 rebounds.

Following a previous exit in the Round of 32 against No. 10 seed Arkansas last year, St. John’s is aiming for a better outcome this time around. Yet, the road ahead won’t be easy.

In what is likely the toughest region, they’ll need to get past formidable foes, like top-seeded Duke, UConn as the second seed, third-seeded Michigan State, and fourth-seeded Kansas.