Defending National Champions Florida stunned by Iowa, UNC chokes against VCU as Sweet 16 is Set
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Posted By: Jordan Davis on March 24, 2026 After a pretty predictable 2025 NCAA Tournament that saw all four 1 seeds proceed to the final four, we are not only guaranteed a different final four in this year's tourney, but a different National Champion as well when on Sunday Night the #9 Iowa Hawkeyes knocked off the defending champions, the #1 seed Florida Gators. Despite the rough shooting night from All-Big Ten 1st team transfer guard Bennett Stritz, 1st year coach Ben McCollum’s Hawkeyes were able to withstand an intense matchup against Todd Golden’s Gators that manifested itself in the game when the two star coaches were seen exchanging words following a double tech for the two teams in the heat of battle. “I’m good, tired, exhausted," said Coach McCollum after his team’s thrilling 73-72 win over the defending champions that saw them reach their first Sweet 16 since 1999. Coach McCollum went on to say his blood pressure was through the roof and that is a sentiment that I’m sure is not only shared amongst people in Iowa City, and Gainesville but all across the country at the fantastic finish when with just 3.9 seconds remaining, Junior Forward Alvaro Folgueiras hit the game winning 3 that would push Iowa on and end Florida’s hopes of repeating as champs. “We had a good feeling that they were gonna try and end it and walk us off and we just did not execute on the last play” said Coach Todd Golden, whose team after bringing in big named transfers like Guards Boogie Fland, and Xaivian Lee along with retaining stars from the 2025 title winning team like Forwards Thomas Haugh, and Alex Condon and Junior Big Man Rueben Chinyelu had their sights set on raising another banner broke a lot of brackets across the college basketball world on Sunday Night in their loss. That is if your bracket last that long of course, because a few nights before another upset that sent shockwaves across the college basketball and sports world that, if the reports are any indication will have major implications on the future of the head coach of North Carolina Basketball, as in the round of 64 on Thursday Night the 6th seed North Carolina Tarheels blew a 19-point lead to 11th seeded VCU that could cost Hubert Davis his job in Chapel Hill. Following his rookie season at the helm of Carolina, which saw his Tar Heels nearly accomplish the impossible and win the National Title as an 8th seed, it has been an underwhelming run for the former alumnus at one of the most storied programs in all of college basketball. Sports Journalists Bomani Jones and Jeff Goodman, in the midst of this, both have been vocal in saying that Hubert Davis did not want this job, and that it would not shock Goodman if Davis were on board with a split from the basketball power. Coach Davis’s big accomplishments at UNC are undeniable. For example, beating their hated rival Duke in the 2022 Final Four and ending perhaps the Greatest Basketball Coach Collegiate or Pro in History Mike Krzyzewski’s run at the institution, and ending (much like Coach McCollum and Iowa referenced earlier in the article did to Florida) #1 Baylor’s quest for repeating with a huge win in that year's tourney in the Round of 32 that began the magical run. Still, the losses and failing to meet the standard at a program with the amount of basketball royalty that North Carolina has may be tough to come back from. Davis, in the postgame, said: “Just really sad that we’re not continuing to play and move forward because I have loved and enjoyed this team.” This could be a signal that Coach Davis knows the writing is on the wall. The Hall of Fame Coach of Duke and of USA Basketball, Mike Krzyzewski, once said, “The game takes you to incredible highs, and it also takes you to incredible lows,” and that is the magic of the NCAA Tournament. Every dribble, every shot, every decision can make or break your legacy, and it’s the reason why, for many of us, it’s our favorite time of the year. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Jordan Davis
Camera Operator, Journalist, Broadcaster, and Host, University of the District of Columbia University of the District of Columbia class of 2025 Member Since February 2024 |
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