2 months ago
Alvaro Folgueiras converted a captious three-point play erstwhile Nebraska only had 4 defenders connected nan floor, and ninth-seeded Iowa continued their unpredictable NCAA Tournament tally nether first-year coach Ben McCollum, beating Nebraska 77-71 successful nan Sweet Sixteen connected Thursday night.
Bennett Stirtz scored 20 points and Folgueiras had 16 for nan Hawkeyes (24-12), who knocked disconnected top-seeded Florida successful nan 2nd information connected Folgueiras’ three-pointer successful nan closing seconds.
Iowa will look either Illinois aliases Houston connected Saturday for a spot successful nan Final Four. McCollum, who won 4 Division II nationalist titles astatine Northwest Missouri State, has now led Iowa to their 5th Elite Eight and first since 1987.
Fourth-seeded Nebraska (28-7) took an early 10-point lead against their Big Ten rival, and Iowa tied it 4 times but ne'er led until Stirtz buried a three-pointer to make it 68-65 pinch 2:10 to go. Sage Tate deed different 3 to headdress a 9-0 tally and put Iowa up 71-65.
The Cornhuskers sewage wrong 3 connected a second-chance three-pointer by Braden Frager, but they were disorganized connected nan inbound play, leaving Folgueiras unguarded adjacent nan rim. He slammed it location – popping up screaming aft he vanished done interaction arsenic Iowa fans roared – and converted nan free propulsion for a six-point lead. Another dunk by Folgueiras, who moved to nan US arsenic a 16-year-old to prosecute his hoops dream, pinch 34 seconds near made it 76-68, and they ne'er looked back.
Iowa’s second-half rally was fueled by Nebraska’s acold shooting: The Huskers were 9 of 32 (28.1%) successful nan 2nd half, pinch astir of those attempts coming beyond nan arc, wherever they made conscionable 6 of 24.
Elsewhere connected Thursday, Trey Kaufman-Renn tipped successful a miss by Braden Smith pinch 0.7 seconds left, and No 2 Purdue edged hobbling Texas prima Tramon Mark and nan 11th-seeded Longhorns 79-77 successful nan Sweet 16. Texas (21-15) tied it moments earlier erstwhile Dailyn Swain made a driving layup, was fouled and converted nan three-point play pinch 11.9 seconds to go. Smith had scored connected his ain thrust pinch 38 seconds remaining and vanished pinch 16 points. Kaufman-Renn deed his first 7 shots connected nan measurement to 20 points. He was mobbed by teammates correct aft nan last buzzer sounded astatine SAP Center.
