Alvaro Folgueiras nailed a 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds remaining and Iowa eliminated defending national champion Florida, sending the top-seeded Gators home with a 73-72 victory on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under first-year coach Ben McCollum, Iowa reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015, while Florida (27-8) became the first No. 1 seed to be knocked out of this year\u2019s March Madness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ninth-seeded Hawkeyes (23-12) wasted a 12-point lead in the second half but rallied in the final minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Xaivian Lee\u2019s driving layup put Florida ahead 71-68 with under two minutes left. Bennett Stirtz answered with a floater to cut it to 71-70 with 57 seconds remaining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After Thomas Haugh missed a 3-pointer, Stirtz missed a running layup and Isaiah Brown grabbed the rebound with 8.9 seconds left. Brown made his second free throw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Iowa easily broke Florida\u2019s full-court press and Folguerias was wide open in the corner for his 3. Florida didn\u2019t get a shot off before the buzzer, with Lee\u2019s desperate drive ending with a pass that Haugh couldn\u2019t handle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n