Florida suffered a heart-breaking loss to Iowa in the Round of 32 on Sunday night.
The Gators had a 72-70 lead in the final seconds, but Alvaro Folgueiras hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with just 4.5 seconds left. Florida’s ensuing possession came up short, meaning it will be the Hawkeyes who advance to the Sweet 16 instead of the Gators.
Here’s a clip of Folgueiras’ game-winner:
This will be controversial, as Folgueiras was involved in a dust-up with Alex Condon earlier in the game. Folgueiras appeared to throw a punch, but was allowed to stay in the game after officials reviewed the incident.
For Florida, this result is a huge disappointment. The Gators are the first No. 1 seed to be eliminated in this NCAA Tournament. It’s a major surprise given Florida was the defending national champion and a heavy favorite against the Hawkeyes.
A slow start to the second half doomed Florida, as it trailed by double-digits before clawing its way back into the game. Although the Gators were able to re-take the lead in the second half, they didn’t quite get enough offense to hold off Iowa. Florida shot just 6-of-19 from 3-point range in the loss.
Iowa will now advance to face Nebraska in the Sweet 16 next week.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
