Iowa Jumps to No. 2 Seed in Bracketology

With just two regular season games remaining, the Iowa Hawkeyes know a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament is within sight.

Losing early in the B1G tournament would be a big set-back for this program, but otherwise they'll be in good shape to stay a No. 2 seed come March Madness.

The latest Bracketology reveal puts Iowa as the No. 2 seed in Region 3 - Fort Worth. The Hawkeyes are finally out of UConn's bracket and don't have to worry about UCLA either.

Second year head coach Jan Jensen won a tournament game in his first year, though she was bounced in the second round. This year, she's looking to make sure that doesn't happen again.

Iowa Earns No. 2 Seed After Taking Down No. 6 Michigan

Even though the Wolverines are still ranked higher than the Hawkeyes in the AP Poll, Bracketology has both as a No. 2 seed. At the end of the day, they're ranked No. 8 and No. 9 for a reason, though Iowa just beat Michigan by 18.

Regardless, this projection would have Iowa match up against No. 15 Loyola Marymount. The Lions are currently 19-8 overall and 13-3 in the WCC. LMU has won seven straight and finishes their season at San Francisco and Oregon State, and sixth and third place teams in the conference.

Being a No. 2 seed once again comes with the advantage of playing at your home court up until the Sweet 16. Iowa knows that advantage means far more than anything else as it should help them easily win their first two games, though once again they can't get cocky or overconfident.

A Closer Look at Iowa's Region

These predictions may not have meant much in mid-December, but now we're closer than ever from March Madness. The NCAA Tournament is right around the corner as most teams have only a pair of games left before their respective conference tournaments.

Iowa HC Jan Jense — Iowa head coach Jan Jensen hugs former Hawkeye women’s basketball player Megan Gustafson after a basketball game against the Washington Huskies Feb. 11, 2026 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Should this bracket stand, Iowa would face either No. 7 NC State or No. 10 North Dakota State in the second round. The Wolfpack were at one point projected to be a No. 2 seed but their season hasn't gone according to plan. As for the Bison, they're a prime upset candidate at 25-2 overall and a perfect 14-0 in the Summit.

Just above Iowa in the bracket is No. 3 Duke with the No. 4 seed being a familiar foe, Michigan State. Back on January 18 the Hawkeyes defeated the Spartans, 75-68.

North Carolina is the No. 5 seed and would set up a stellar second round matchup against MSU. The aforementioned Gamecocks are the No. 1 seed in this region as their 27-2 overall record could be tested early by either the Tar Heels or Spartans. Keep in mind, the only blemishes on South Carolina's record were to No. 4 Texas and No. 16 Oklahoma (the Sooners are now ranked No. 7).

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