After a two-year break, the Iowa Hawkeyes are back in the NCAA Tournament, ready to face the 8th-seeded Clemson Tigers in the first round. This showdown is set for Friday, March 20, in Tampa, Florida, with tip-off at 5:50 pm CT.
Under the leadership of Ben McCollum, Iowa has posted a solid 21-12 overall record and a 10-10 mark in the Big Ten. Impressively, McCollum becomes only the second coach in Iowa men's basketball history to lead the team to The Tournament in his inaugural year, joining the ranks of Tom Davis from the 1986-87 season.
Clemson, on the other hand, wrapped up their season with a 24-10 record, going 12-6 in the ACC. The Tigers' journey in the ACC Tournament ended with a loss to top-seeded Duke in the semifinals.
A significant blow for Clemson is the loss of one of their key players, Carter Welling, who suffered an ACL tear during the ACC Tournament. Despite this setback, Clemson remains a formidable opponent, led by their top scorer, RJ Godfrey.
The 6-foot-7 forward is known for his physical play around the rim, strong rebounding, and ability to draw fouls. Clemson's balanced approach features six players averaging between 9.6 and 6.1 points per game, with an offense that runs through the post and the roll man.
Should Iowa triumph over Clemson, they will face the daunting challenge of taking on top-seeded Florida in the second round on Sunday.
Coach McCollum shared his focused mindset as the team heads into the tournament: "It's one game. That's it.
We got one game, win or go home, and you move on," he emphasized during a media Zoom call. McCollum's philosophy is all about taking it one game at a time, putting everything into the immediate challenge without getting distracted by potential future matchups.
The Hawkeyes have faced some turbulence, losing five of their last seven games, including a crucial win over Maryland and a setback against Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament. However, they are determined to turn things around on the road.
Leading the charge is Bennett Stirtz, a First-Team All-Big Ten point guard, who has been a standout performer with averages of 20 points and 4.5 assists per game. This marks the second consecutive year that a McCollum-coached team has reached the NCAA Tournament, following his success with Drake last season when they advanced to the Round of 32 after upsetting Missouri.
The stage is set for an exciting clash, as Iowa looks to make a deep run in the tournament and prove their mettle against a resilient Clemson squad.