Florida Basketball Advances to Face Iowa in March Madness

Gators defeat Prairie View A&M in first round, set to take on Hawkeyes next

Mar. 21, 2026 at 6:27pm

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The Florida Gators men's basketball team defeated Prairie View A&M in the first round of the NCAA March Madness tournament. With the win, the Gators will now face off against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the next round.

Why it matters

The Gators' victory sets up an intriguing matchup between two high-powered offenses in the second round of the tournament. Both teams have had impressive seasons and will be looking to advance further in the tournament.

The details

Florida's Thomas Haugh spoke to the media following the team's first-round win, discussing the Gators' performance and looking ahead to the next challenge against Iowa.

  • The Gators defeated Prairie View A&M on March 21, 2026.

The players

Thomas Haugh

A player on the Florida Gators men's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“We're excited to move on and face a tough Iowa team next. They're a great opponent, but we're confident in our abilities and ready for the challenge.”

— Thomas Haugh, Florida Gators Player

What’s next

The Gators and Hawkeyes will face off in the second round of the NCAA tournament on March 23, 2026.

The takeaway

The Gators' first-round victory sets up an intriguing matchup between two high-powered offenses in the next round of March Madness, as Florida looks to continue its tournament run against a formidable Iowa squad.