As we hit the home stretch of the college basketball regular season, the Iowa Hawkeyes find themselves in a familiar - and precarious - spot: right in the thick of the NCAA Tournament picture, but with plenty of work left to do. The good news?
They’re trending toward a tournament berth. The not-so-good news?
Their seeding is still very much up in the air.
Right now, Iowa is projected as a No. 9 seed in the West Region, setting up a first-round showdown with No. 8 seed NC State out of the ACC. That 8/9 matchup is always a coin flip - and in this case, it could be a tough draw for both squads.
But for Iowa, it’s more than just about winning one game. It’s about trying to avoid the early date with a juggernaut.
Because if the bracket holds, and the Hawkeyes get past NC State, they’d likely be looking at a second-round clash with top-seeded Arizona - a team that’s dropped just one game all season and has looked every bit the part of a title contender. That’s the kind of matchup that makes the path to the Sweet 16 feel like a mountain climb. So yeah, there’s motivation to move up the seed lines - and fast.
The good news for Iowa? The opportunity is right in front of them.
The schedule down the stretch is no cakewalk, but that’s exactly what makes it so valuable. Upcoming games against Purdue, Nebraska, and Michigan offer the kind of résumé-boosting potential that selection committees love.
Steal a win or two in that stretch, and suddenly that 9-seed could start creeping closer to a 7 - or better.
Of course, it’s not just about who you play - it’s about how you play. And while Ben McCollum’s first season at the helm has had its share of ups and downs, there’s still a chance to close strong. The Hawkeyes have shown flashes, but consistency will be key if they want to climb out of that dreaded 8/9 range.
Because let’s be real: the 8/9 game is often a trap. Win, and your reward is a date with a No. 1 seed - in this case, Arizona.
That’s not the path any team wants when dreaming of a deep March run. For Iowa, avoiding that scenario would mean not just getting into the dance, but setting themselves up to stick around a while.
There’s still time. There’s still opportunity. And if Iowa can seize it, McCollum’s debut season in Iowa City could end with more than just a tournament appearance - it could end with a statement.