TAMPA, Fla. \u2014 Florida\u2019s hopes for a rare repeat came to a stunning conclusion as ninth-seeded Iowa bounced the Gators from the NCAA Tournament.<\/p>\n
A 3-pointer with 4.5 second by 6-foot-10 Spaniard Alvaro Folgueriras ended Florida\u2019s national championship bid during a 73-72 loss to Iowa Sunday night at Benchmark International Arena.<\/p>\n
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Point guard Xavian Lee took the ensuring inbounds pass the length of the court and behind the basket, but the Hawkeyes deflected his pass attempt to All-SEC forward Thomas Haugh in the lane to secure the Hawkeyes\u2019 upset.<\/p>\n
Comebacks carried Florida to the 2025 national championship. Coach Todd Golden\u2019s top-seeded Gators needed another one to reach the Sweet 16 again.<\/p>\n
Florida overcame a 10-point first-half deficit and dug out of a 12-point hole after intermission on Sunday, but could not close out the Hawkeyes, who will face Nebraska on Thursday in Houston.<\/p>\n
After playing off their back foot much of the night, the Gators had their chances for a comeback \u2014 the 2025 team had four in six NCAA Tournament games.<\/p>\n
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Iowa\u2019s All-Big Ten point guard Bennett Stirtiz missed a driving layup off the backboard with 11 seconds to go and his team trailing 71-70. Fouled on the rebound, sophomore Isaiah Brown, a reserve guard from Orlando, hit his second of two free throws for a 72-70 lead with eight seconds to go.<\/p>\n
Iowa inbounded the ball to Stirtz, who raced toward halfcourt and fired a pass to Folgueiras waiting in the corner for the game-winner.<\/p>\n
Power forward Alex Condon, the Gators\u2019 top returning starter, played inspired basketball to lead the second-half rally, while Thomas Haugh came alive after struggling much of the night.<\/p>\n
A Condon dunk with 7:04 remaining put Florida ahead 60-58, the Gators\u2019 first lead since UF led 11-8. But a 3-pointer by red-hot Hawkeye forward Cooper Koch made it 61-60. A 3 by Haugh, followed by a driving layup made it 65-61, but Koch soon hit his fourth 3 of the half to push Iowa ahead again at 66-65.<\/p>\n
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Two Haugh free throws and a layup by Condon, off a Haugh assist, made it 69-66, leading the two players to chest bump. Meanwhile, Iowa twice missed the front ends of one-and-ones as Florida seemingly gained control the game.<\/p>\n
Instead, the Hawkeyes (23-12), who Hawkeyes finished in ninth place in the Big Ten, but beat the SEC\u2019s regular-season champion Gators (27-8) to end their season.<\/p>\n
Condon had a team-high 21 points and seven assists, while Haugh finished with 19 points after failing to scored a field for the game first 26 minutes. Lee had 17 on 7-of-11 shooting.<\/p>\n
Tavion Banks Iowa with 20 points, while Stirtz had 13 on just 5-of-16 shooting.<\/p>\n
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