Iowa narrowly avoids upset in sweltering Carver-Hawkeye Arena

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The No. 2 seed Iowa Hawkeyes (27-6) narrowly avoided a historic upset bid by 15th-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson (30-5) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, winning 58-48 in a game played in stifling conditions inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Temperatures reached 88 degrees outside and at least 80 degrees courtside, as the arena lacks air conditioning, leading to a challenging environment for both teams.

Why it matters

This game highlighted the challenges teams can face when playing in venues without proper climate control, as the extreme heat appeared to impact both teams' performance. It also demonstrated the parity in women's college basketball, with a 15-seed nearly pulling off a monumental upset of a top-2 seed.

The details

The Hawkeyes jumped out to a 20-5 lead early, but Fairleigh Dickinson battled back thanks to hot 3-point shooting, forcing Iowa to hold on late. Iowa sophomore Ava Heiden scored a career-high 29 points, but the Hawkeyes struggled at the free-throw line, going just 10-of-22. Fairleigh Dickinson hit 10 3-pointers but missed their final six shots and attempted just two free throws in the game.

• The game was played on Saturday, March 21, 2026.

What’s next

Iowa will face 10th-seeded Virginia in the second round on Monday.