03/26/26 09:02:00
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03/26 21:00 CDT Ninth-seeded Iowa continues improbable March run, beating
Nebraska 77-71 to reach Sweet 16
Ninth-seeded Iowa continues improbable March run, beating Nebraska 77-71 to
reach Sweet 16
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) --- Alvaro Folgueiras converted a critical three-point play when
Nebraska only had four defenders on the floor, and ninth-seeded Iowa continued
its unpredictable NCAA Tournament run under first-year coach Ben McCollum,
beating Nebraska 77-71 in a South Region semifinal on Thursday night.
Bennett Stirtz scored 20 points and Folgueiras had 16 for the Hawkeyes (24-12),
who knocked off top-seeded Florida in the second round on Folgueiras' 3-pointer
in the closing seconds.
Iowa will face either Illinois or Houston on Saturday for a spot in the Final
Four. McCollum, who won four Division II national titles at Northwest Missouri
State, has now led Iowa to its fifth Elite Eight and first since 1987.
Fourth-seeded Nebraska (28-7) took an early 10-point lead against its Big Ten
rival, and Iowa tied it four times but never led until Stirtz buried a
3-pointer to make it 68-65 with 2:10 to go. Sage Tate hit another 3 to cap a
9-0 run and put Iowa ahead 71-65.
The Cornhuskers got within three on a second-chance 3 by Braden Frager, but
they were disorganized on the inbound play, leaving Folgueiras unguarded near
the rim. He slammed it home --- popping up screaming after he finished through
contact as Iowa fans roared --- and converted the free throw for a six-point
lead.
Another dunk by Folgueiras with 34 seconds left made it 76-68.
Iowa transfer Pryce Sandfort made six 3s and scored 25 points for Nebraska,
which won the first two March Madness games in program history to get this far.
Frager added 16 points for coach Fred Hoiberg's Cornhuskers, who delighted a
traveling contingent of red-clad fans throughout their tournament run.
Iowa's second-half rally was fueled by Nebraska's cold shooting: The Huskers
were 9 of 32 (28.1%) in the second half, with most of those attempts coming
beyond the arc, where they made just 6 of 24.
The teams split their previous meetings this season, but it will be the
Hawkeyes who move on and try to represent the Big Ten in the Final Four ---
with possibly another conference rival standing in their way.
___
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and
coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
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