The Hawkeyes have moved on from the emotional high from the Florida game while still soaking in the moment.
HOUSTON - When Alvaro Folgueiras knocked in his game-winning triple to upset No. 1-seeded Florida and send Iowa men's basketball to its first Sweet 16 in 27 years, he told TBS sideline reporter AJ Ross this.
"March is for dreamers."
Every basketball player dreams of hitting a big shot on the biggest stage, but few have had the opportunity to do it. Folgueiras took advantage of his opportunity, but the 2025-26 season is far from over - it's just beginning.
This entire run has been a dream for the Hawkeyes. Few outside the locker room expected an NCAA tournament run from Iowa after it lost seven of its previous 10 games, but the Hawkeyes proved everyone wrong by making it to Houston.
They are indeed still dreaming.
Bennett Stirtz always thought it would be fun to play in the NCAA tournament, but he never imagined he'd actually be playing it. The senior point guard qualified for the Division II Sweet 16 during his tenure with current Iowa coach Ben McCollum's Northwest Missouri State squad, but the Division I stage is far greater.
"Pretty cool to see [the reaction videos from fans]. It's pretty surreal," Stirtz said at media availability Wednesday.
Thursday's Sweet 16 showdown against rival Nebraska in Houston (6:30 p.m., TBS) might be the biggest basketball game of Stirtz's life. Like his coach, Stirtz has completely moved on from Sunday's dramatic win, but he has an additional reason to do so.
Much of Florida's game plan was altered by Iowa, but one thing it did well was make life miserable for Stirtz. The senior finished with just 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting (0-for-9 from three), but the disappointing performance isn't stopping his confidence.
"If I'm 0-for-20, I'm going to keep shooting it. That's just the confidence I have in myself and Coach Mac has in me," Stirtz said.
While Stirtz looks to recapture his rhythm, Tavion Banks looks to keep the momentum going. When Iowa needed him the most against the Gators, Banks delivered - netting a team-high 20 points (14 in the first half) to carry the Hawkeyes to the finish line.
Some fans have called Banks a "junkyard dog," due to his aggressive play style (tough defense, steals, etc). It's a mantra that he's happy to embody, and it could be crucial against a scrappy Nebraska defense.
"It can help our guards out and it can help our bigs out too, because, certain things, I do can open up the floor and it just, 50-50, balls and it just helps us out with more possessions and things like that," Banks said.
Experience wins games in March, but Iowa also has talented underclassmen that could swing the pendulum in its favor.
Redshirt freshman Cooper Koch is a second generation Hawkeye to play in the Sweet 16. His father, J.R., was a standout player for the 1999 team, and getting Iowa back to the second weekend means everything to the younger Koch.
"I know my dad wanted me to do it here. I wanted to do it for the fans, for the Iowa community," Koch said.
Banks and Folgueiras were the headlining acts in Iowa's win over Florida, but Koch's 4-of-6 clip from three point range played a pivotal role. His first game against the Cornhuskers was a struggle (3-for-10 from deep), but he redeemed himself with 18 points and six triples in the narrow overtime loss in Lincoln.
How does the familiarity with Nebraska help Koch prepare?
"You definitely know personnel a little bit more know what they're trying to run, but obviously both teams are going to have a little bit something different coming into the game," Koch said. "You have to if you're playing the team three times, so being able to execute that and go win the game."
Koch isn't the only Hawkeye player to have a familial connection in the Sweet 16. True freshman Tate Sage isn't an Iowa legacy, but his hometown of Weatherford, Oklahoma, is just seven hours away from Houston - three hours closer than the drive to Iowa City.
A lot of Sage's family members will be inside the Toyota Center as a result.
"I have family down here. I know everybody else's family is coming," Sage said. "We've had a problem with tickets, because we have so many people want to people want to come. But it's a good problem to have."
"I believe we're a room full of winners. I believe we have group guys that want to win."
Looking for a FREE Hawkeyes community?
Don't miss out on our Roundtable community and the latest news! It's completely FREE to join.
Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the FREE Roundtable APP and stay even more connected!