- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Iowa defeats Clemson in NCAA Tournament First Round
Hawkeyes advance to face top-seeded Alabama in the Second Round
Mar. 21, 2026 at 1:11am
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the Clemson Tigers 72-68 in a closely contested NCAA Tournament First Round matchup. The Hawkeyes overcame a late Clemson comeback attempt to secure the victory and advance to the Second Round, where they will face the top-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide.
Why it matters
This win marks Iowa's first NCAA Tournament victory since 2019, as the Hawkeyes look to make a deep run in this year's tournament. Clemson's early exit is a disappointment for a Tigers team that was hoping to build on their strong regular season performance.
The details
Iowa was led by junior guard Keegan Murray, who scored a game-high 22 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. Clemson was paced by senior forward PJ Hall, who finished with 18 points and 7 rebounds. The game was close throughout, with neither team leading by more than 6 points at any point. Iowa was able to make key plays down the stretch to hold off the Tigers' late comeback attempt.
- The game was played on March 17, 2026 in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.
The players
Keegan Murray
A junior guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes who led his team with 22 points and 8 rebounds in the victory.
PJ Hall
A senior forward for the Clemson Tigers who scored a team-high 18 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in the losing effort.
Alabama Crimson Tide
The top-seeded team that Iowa will face in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament after defeating Clemson.
What they’re saying
“I'm really proud of the way our guys battled tonight. Clemson is a tough team, but we were able to make the plays we needed to down the stretch to get the win.”
— Fran McCaffery, Head Coach, Iowa Hawkeyes
“It's a tough way to end the season, but I'm proud of the effort our team put forth tonight. We just came up a little short against a very good Iowa team.”
— Brad Brownell, Head Coach, Clemson Tigers
What’s next
Iowa will face the top-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament on March 19, 2026.
The takeaway
Iowa's victory over Clemson sets up an intriguing Second Round matchup between the Hawkeyes and the tournament's overall #1 seed, Alabama. This win gives Iowa momentum as they look to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament and potentially reach the Final Four for the first time since 2015.
