Skip to main content
Inside The Hawkeyes

The Best (and Worst) March Madness Moments in Iowa MBB History

The Iowa Hawkeyes haven't had much success recently in the NCAA Tournament.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Mar 22, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffery hugs center Luka Garza (55) after he was subbed off during the second half in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Oregon Ducks won 95-80. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Mar 22, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffery hugs center Luka Garza (55) after he was subbed off during the second half in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Oregon Ducks won 95-80. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

In this story:

Iowa Hawkeyes

The Iowa Hawkeyes are 31-31 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.

They seem to lose more games than they win which makes sense as it's been quite some time since they've done some damage in the tournament.

This is a Hawkeyes squad with three Final Four appearances, though the most recent of those was during the 1979-80 season.

Iowa has had one shot to win it all, that being in 1995-56 when they made it to the National Championship game against San Francisco. Other than that, it's safe to say tournament success has eluded them.

Best Moment: Return to Final Four in 1979-80

There probably aren't too many people reading this that remember the last time Iowa made it this far in the NCAA Tournament. 

The Hawkeyes were ranked as high as No. 10 that year as they finished 23-10 overall. Four of theri five starters finished in double digits against Louisville but it wasn't enough as they gave up 46 second-half point and fell, 80-72.

Worst Moment: Blowing It As No. 2 Seed in 2020-21 Tournament

The Luka Garza days were certainly taken for granted as Iowa had a deep run in them but were upset by No. 7 Oregon in the second round, 95-80.

It was an all around horrendous night as Iowa came into that season ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll. Fresh off a year where the tournament was cancelled, Iowa was poised to make a return to the Final Four but they blew it.

Worst Moment: Following It Up With a Two-Year Tournament Drought

There have certainly been longer droughts in tournament history, including seven straight years from 2006-13, but these last two have been incredibly difficult.

Iowa went from being ranked in the AP Top 25 eight of 10 years from 2013-23 to missing the tournament entirely these last two years. That marked the end of Fran McCaffery's time in Iowa City, though he went to Penn this year and made the tournament in his first attempt.

Best Moment: Making the Tournament in Ben McCollum's First Season

There were certainly some great moments from 1980-88, but it's important to look towards the future. Iowa hasn't made it out of the third round since the 1998-99 season, so it's only a matter of time before everything gets back on track.

McCollum took a bunch of Drake transfers and made them into quality B1G players. With Clemson on the horizon, it's time to see if Iowa can win their first tournament game since Garza was on the team. 

Don't forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.

Home/Basketball