Iowa Hawkeyes’ Final Four path is unlike any in 40 years

The Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball team advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1987 with a 77-71 win versus the Nebraska Cornhuskers men’s basketball in the South Regional semifinal at the Toyota Center on Thursday.

As a No. 9 seed, Iowa became the lowest-seeded Big Ten team to advance this far and just the sixth No. 9 seed in tournament history to reach the Elite Eight. They have now defeated three higher-seeded teams, No. 8 Clemson, No. 1 Florida, and No. 4 Nebraska, to reach this stage.

The Hawkeyes will face the Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball for a place in the Final Four, pursuing their first appearance since 1980. The matchup will also be the first time in 40 years a team has faced conference opponents in both the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, a feat last accomplished by Kentucky in 1986.

Iowa improved to 24-12 on the season, tying the fifth-most wins in program history, and moved to 7-1 on neutral courts. Furthermore, the team has won three NCAA Tournament games in the past seven days after winning just three total tournament games over the previous 20 years.

Against the Cornhuskers, the Hawkeyes overcame a 12-2 deficit and trailed 46-43 at halftime despite shooting 60% from the field and 63.6% from three-point range in the opening half. Iowa tied the game multiple times in the second half before Bennett Stirtz gave them their first lead, 68-65, with 2:10 remaining. He finished with 20 points, his 19th 20-point game of the season, four assists, and no turnovers.

Freshman Tate Sage recorded a career-high 19 points and eight rebounds, hitting 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, while Alvaro Folgueiras contributed 16 points on near-perfect 6-of-7 shooting, including a clutch three-point play after Nebraska momentarily had only four players on the court. Cooper Koch scored 11 points as Iowa placed four players in double figures.

The Hawkeyes shot 51.9% overall, made a program NCAA Tournament record 13 three-pointers, and converted 83.3% of their free throws. Defensively, they held the Cornhuskers to just 25 second-half points on 28.1% shooting.

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