In a thrilling Sweet 16 showdown, the ninth-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes pulled off a stunning 77-71 victory over fourth-seeded Nebraska at Houston's Toyota Center. The game featured a bizarre late-game sequence that became the talk of the night.
The pivotal moment came when Iowa found themselves with a surprising advantage-only four Nebraska players were on the court. Alvaro Folgueiras, reflecting on this unusual scenario, couldn't help but point out Nebraska's lapse in awareness.
"I'm from the south of Spain, a small neighborhood called El Palo. We pride ourselves on being a bit more street-smart," Folgueiras remarked with a knowing grin.
"I noticed they were confused about their defensive assignments, and suddenly there were just four players. I locked eyes with Kael (Combs), and when the referee handed the ball, I was jumping and shouting, 'Let's go!'
We had the time to set up because I was wide open at the end of the court."
Bennett Stirtz admitted his surprise at the situation. "I was shocked to see Alvaro all alone.
I didn't realize they only had four players until we got to the locker room. Kael threw a perfect pass, and with the baseline open, Al made a great dunk."
Tate Sage shared insights into the play's original design. "We planned to get the ball to Bennett, but then we saw Alvaro unguarded.
It was a quick decision-'Kael, throw it.' And it worked perfectly."
Now, Iowa has its sights set on the Final Four for the first time since 1980. They'll face third-seeded Illinois in an Elite Eight matchup at the Toyota Center, with tipoff set for 5:09 p.m.
CT on TBS and truTV. This Big Ten clash promises to be another exciting chapter in Iowa's tournament journey.