Trending Now - Alvaro Folgueiras' Three-pointer Sends Iowa to Sweet 16

WHO:

Alvaro Folgueiras, Iowa basketball player

Bennett Stirtz, Iowa basketball player

Ben McCollum, Iowa's first-year head coach

Beatriz Campos, Folgueiras' mother

WHAT:

Alvaro Folgueiras made a go-ahead three-pointer with 4.5 seconds remaining

Iowa defeated Florida 73-72

The victory sent Iowa to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999

Folgueiras scored 14 points and grabbed five rebounds

Stirtz contributed 13 points, five rebounds, and five assists

Iowa led for 66% of the game

This was Iowa's second victory over a No. 1 seed since seeding began in 1979

WHERE:

The game took place in the NCAA Tournament

WHEN:

The game occurred on March 19th, 2026

WHY:

Folgueiras' shot had personal significance, as he left Malaga at 16 to pursue basketball dreams in the U.S.

Folgueiras' mother worked up to 14 hours daily to support her sons after the death of his father when Folgueiras was nine

HOW:

Folgueiras communicated his intention to make the shot to Stirtz before the final possession

McCollum described Folgueiras' confidence as "irrational confidence"

(UPDATED March 23, 2026 21:36 UTC)

In a thrilling NCAA Tournament game on March 19, Iowa's Alvaro Folgueiras made a go-ahead three-pointer with just 4.5 seconds left, leading the team to a narrow 73-72 victory over Florida and sending them to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999. Folgueiras scored 14 points and grabbed five rebounds, while teammate Bennett Stirtz added 13 points, five rebounds, and five assists, marking Iowa's second victory over a No. 1 seed since seeding began in 1979. This moment was particularly meaningful for Folgueiras, who had shared his intention to take the shot with Stirtz, and whose mother, Beatriz Campos, worked tirelessly to support him after the loss of his father when he was just nine years old.