Iowa rallies late to beat Nebraska, reach first Elite Eight since 1987
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- Iowa, a No. 9 seed with a coach and star who progressed from Division II to high-major together, advanced to the Elite Eight by defeating fourth-seeded Nebraska 77-71.
- Bennett Stirtz, who played every second and scored 20 points, hit a crucial 3-pointer late in the game to give Iowa the lead, showcasing his clutch performance without celebration.
- Nebraska, despite being an experienced team, faltered in the final minutes, notably playing with only four players after a timeout, allowing Iowa to capitalize with key plays including an and-1 dunk by Alvaro Folgueiras.
- Freshman Tate Sage contributed significantly with a career-high 19 points and four critical 3-pointers, continuing the trend of players who followed coach Ben McCollum from previous programs to Iowa.
- Coach Ben McCollum, a four-time Division II national champion, is poised to lead Iowa to its first Final Four appearance since 1980, marking a historic run for the program.
