Five Things Iowa Fans Need to Know About Florida

The Iowa Hawkeyes took care of business in the first round as they advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021.

That year is one Hawkeyes fans don't want to remember as they blew it as the No. 2 seed, but this year things aren't looking much better.

Instead of being upset in the second round, Iowa is looking to play spoiler this time around. Their opponent is none other than Florida, the No. 1 team in their region who just so happens to get to play in their home state.

Tampa has been extremely kind to Iowa in both their first game against Clemson and in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Vanderbilt, so one can only imagine what'll go down on March 22 against the No. 1 seed.

1. Florida Just Scored 114 Points

DEFENDING CHAMPS CRUISE 😮‍💨

(1) Florida defeats (16) Prairie View A&M 114-55 to kick off their #MarchMadness run in style 🕺 pic.twitter.com/QG27bf1uO3
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 21, 2026

In case Hawkeyes fans didn't do some scouting of their own, it's quite simple to break down. Florida's offense is legit. Sure, they dropped 114 on No. 16 Prairie View A&M, but that's the most points they've scored all year.

Florida's offense is fast-paced, explosive, and basically everything that Iowa's isn't. Ben McCollum's defense needs to be in check, otherwise this one could get ugly.

2. Three Different Leading Scorers in Last Three Games

Mar 20, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Florida Gators guard Boogie Fland (0) shoots the ball in the first half against the Prairie View A&M Panthers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Junior forwards Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh seem to bounce back and forth between who's the leading scorer, but in the NCAA Tournament, it was sophomore guard Boogie Fland. Anyone can get hot on any given night, so it's far more than just one player in particular that Iowa needs to keep their eye on.

3. Florida Out-Rebounded Prairie View 54-20

These numbers don't even seem real, but that goes to show just how dominant Florida is. The Knights had no business being in there against them in the first round and the Gators did everything in their power to prove that. Iowa, uncharacteristically, is coming off a game in which they won the rebounding battle. Hopefully, for the Hawkeyes' sake, that wasn't a fluke and they can do that again in the second round.

4. Florida Has Lost Just One Game Since Jan. 28

NO. 22 VANDERBILT DOMINATES NO. 4 FLORIDA 91-74 TO ADVANCE TO THE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME 😤 pic.twitter.com/0cCLNteN0h
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 14, 2026

Other than slipping up in their conference tournament, Florida has won 13 of their last 14. Things weren't looking too good when they started the year 5-4, but you have to keep in mind three of those losses came to Arizona, Duke, and UConn.

5. Florida Hasn't Lost an NCAA Tournament Game Since March 22, 2024

For reference, Iowa didn't make the tournament in either the 2024 or 2025 season. Florida ran a gauntlet last year and it's crazy to think their last tournament loss came in 2024 when they gave up 102 points to Colorado in a game that is one of the best in recent memory.

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