Florida Gators Eliminated: NCAA Tournament Upset by Iowa Hawkeyes

March 23, 2026 Alex Carter - Sports Editor Sport

Iowa forward Alvaro Folgueiras hit a three-pointer with seconds remaining to upset the No. 1 ranked Florida Gators 73-72 in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on Sunday, ending Florida’s hopes of repeating as national champions.

Trailing by as many as 12 points in the second half, Florida rallied to take a 72-70 lead after Isaiah Brown converted two free throws with under 10 seconds left. Yet, a defensive lapse on the ensuing inbounds play allowed Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz to sprint down the court and find Folgueiras open for the game-winning shot. Florida’s final possession ended with a desperation pass and no shot attempt as time expired.

“On the last play, we wanted to take a foul to prevent them from getting off a three and they got away from us,” Florida head coach Todd Golden said after the game. “We weren’t able to take it and they knocked it down, so credit to them for that. Just a tough way to go out.”

The loss marks a stunning end to Florida’s season and denies the Gators a chance to become one of the few programs to win back-to-back national championships in the 21st century. Only Connecticut has achieved the feat recently, winning in 2023 and 2024. Florida previously won consecutive titles in 2006 and 2007.

The first weekend of March Madness similarly saw upsets for other highly-ranked teams. No. 4 seed Kansas was eliminated 67-65 by No. 5 St. John’s on a buzzer-beating layup by Dylan Darling. Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, widely projected as a top NBA draft pick, averaged 24.5 points across two tournament games and played 36.5 minutes per game after battling injuries during the regular season. BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, another potential No. 1 pick, scored 35 points in a first-round loss to Texas.

The Big Ten conference had a strong showing, sending six teams – Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, and Iowa – to the Sweet 16, the most since 1975 and tied for the second-most from a single conference in Sweet 16 history. In contrast, the ACC saw only one of its eight tournament teams, Duke, advance to the second weekend.

Despite the upsets, the tournament has largely favored higher seeds. Seven of the top eight seeds remain in contention, with No. 11 Texas being the lowest seed to reach the Sweet 16. The absence of major Cinderella stories has sparked debate about the impact of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals on the competitiveness of college basketball.

Meanwhile, the women’s tournament has also seen a relatively chalky opening weekend, with only three lower seeds winning as of Sunday night. The remaining contenders in the women’s bracket include top stars like Azzi Fudd of Connecticut, Lauren Betts of UCLA, and Madison Booker of Texas, setting the stage for potential high-profile matchups.