Defending Champs Florida Gators Upset by Iowa in Tournament

No. 9 Iowa takes down No. 1 Florida in second round of 2026 NCAA tournament

Mar. 23, 2026 at 4:23am

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The top-seeded and defending national champion Florida Gators were stunned by ninth-seeded Iowa 73-72 in the second round of the 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament. The Gators shot 50% from the field but were unable to hold off the underdog Hawkeyes in the close contest.

Why it matters

This is a major upset in the tournament, with the defending champions falling to a lower-seeded team. It shakes up the bracket and opens up the path for other teams to potentially make a deep run in the tournament.

The details

Iowa was able to hold off a late charge by Florida to secure the 73-72 victory. The Gators shot 50% from the field but were unable to overcome Iowa's strong defensive effort and timely scoring.

  • The game took place on Sunday, March 23, 2026 in the second round of the 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament.

The players

Florida Gators

The top-seeded and defending national champion Florida Gators men's basketball team.

Iowa Hawkeyes

The ninth-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team, who pulled off the upset over the defending champions.

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What they’re saying

“We knew it was going to be a tough game against the defending champs, but our guys really stepped up and played great defense to get the win.”

— Fran McCaffery, Iowa Head Coach

What’s next

Iowa will advance to the Sweet Sixteen round of the 2026 NCAA tournament, while Florida's season has come to an end with the upset loss.

The takeaway

This tournament upset shows that any team can win on any given day, regardless of seeding or past success. It's a reminder that the NCAA tournament is always full of surprises and unpredictable outcomes.