Iowa basketball vs. Clemson: First March Madness reactions
· Yahoo Sports
For the first time in three years, the Iowa men's basketball team is going dancing in March.
The Hawkeyes heard their name called on Selection Sunday as a nine-seed in the South Region, taking on the eight-seed Clemson Tigers on Friday. The winner of that game will face the winner of the top-seeded Florida against either Lehigh or Prairie View A&M. After weeks of up-and-down play, Iowa lands in the 8/9 game that many people projected them at.
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The first season under Ben McCollum has now officially resulted in an NCAA tournament appearance, which is a great first step for everyone involved. Now the question is, how far can Iowa go? Here are some instant reactions to Iowa's first tournament berth in three years.
Iowa basketball got a tough March Madness draw
This could be said for almost every team in the 8/9 game each year, but it rings especially true for the Hawkeyes right now. In the first round, they'll take on a Clemson team that finished fourth in the ACC and had some marquee wins over North Carolina, Louisville, and SMU this season. They're a veteran-laden team with a coach who's been there before.
And if Iowa finds a way past them in the first round, their reward will probably be a matchup with top-seeded Florida. The Gators are a bad matchup for the Hawkeyes, as they have a ton of size that Iowa can't match in the post. A sweet 16 run seems like a stretch, given the matchups and Iowa's play as of late. This is a difficult draw.
Location is great
Tampa Bay has treated Iowa nicely over the past few years. Just a few months ago, the football team took down Vanderbilt in Tampa to win the ReliaQuest Bowl. And now the men's basketball team will head down there for the NCAA Tournament.
There are plenty of Iowa fans down in the Tampa/Florida area who will show up in droves to support the Hawks. They should have a nice home-court advantage against Clemson, which could help elevate them to a victory. Outside of the Midwest, you couldn't pick a better spot for Iowa to play in the tournament.
A successful first season
With a berth in the NCAA Tournament, this season is now officially a success for McCollum in his first campaign. When he arrived, Iowa hadn't tasted the tournament in years, and with a ragtag group of transfers, he's got them back in the postseason.
Regardless of what happens down in Tampa, this season is a positive step in the right direction for this program. McCollum has shown an ability to do more with less, and now he'll have a full offseason to work some magic on this roster. This is the start of something special in Iowa City. And that timeline can be expedited with some wins in Tampa.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa basketball vs. Clemson: First March Madness reactions