The Florida Gators played the Iowa Hawkeyes today in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa. The Gators were fresh off a blowout 114-55 win in the first round against the Prairie View A&M Panthers.
The Hawkeyes, on the other hand, registered a hard-fought 67-61 win against the Clemson Tigers. Heading into the game, the Florida Gators were heavy favorites against the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Being the underdog in the game helped the Hawkeyes from the beginning, as they had something to prove. They outscored the favorites 33-31 in the first half, putting pressure on the Gators. Florida bounced back in the second half and made it a close game, but ended up losing 73-72.
Florida Gators vs Iowa Hawkeyes Box Score
Florida Gators
Starters
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF |
| Alex Condon | 21 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Thomas Haugh | 19 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Rueben Chinyelu | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Boogie Fland | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Xaivian Lee | 17 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Bench
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF |
| Micah Handlogten | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Urban Klavzar | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Brown | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Iowa Hawkeyes
Starters
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF |
| Cam Manyawu | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Cooper Koch | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Bennett Stirtz | 13 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tavion Banks | 20 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Kael Combs | 6 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Bench
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF |
| Alvaro Folgueiras | 14 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Trevin Jirak | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tate Sage | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Isaia Howard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Even though the Florida Gators were the favorites to win the game, it was expected to be an exciting matchup. The Florida Gators were the Southeastern Conference leaders with a 27-7 overall record and 16-2 in the conference.
The Hawkeyes, on the other hand, found themselves in the middle of the Big Ten Conference table with a 22-12 overall record. The Gators had the advantage going into the game because of their overall run and the performance they showcased in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
In the concluding minutes of the game, the Gators were in the lead. Even though they were just a point ahead, they were on track to close the game in their favor. However, Iowa managed to secure a one-point win.
The Hawkeyes will now face the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Sweet 16 round, whereas the Gators’ run has come to an end.
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