Iowa's historic NCAA tournament run continued Thursday night as the 9-seed Hawkeyes advanced to the Elite Eight with a thrilling 77-71 victory over Nebraska in the Sweet 16. The game featured a chaotic final minute when Nebraska, down six points, had just four players on the court during a critical three-point play. Iowa's Alvaro Folgueiras seized the opportunity, hitting a layup and completing a three-point play after teammates Bennett Stirtz and Pryce Sandfort pointed him out as wide open.

Folgueiras, who also sank the game-winning shot against Florida in the second round, now anchors Iowa's Cinderella run - the program's first Elite Eight appearance since 1987. The Hawkeyes' improbable journey includes upsets over 1-seed Florida and 5-seed Nebraska, cementing their status as a historic underdog. With guard Bennett Stirtz playing all 40 minutes (20 points) and tying for the most 40-minute games in Big Ten tournament history, Iowa's resilience has defied expectations.

Despite a 3-7 regular season, the team now faces a date with Purdue in the Elite Eight, having survived three consecutive upsets to reach the program's deepest NCAA tournament run in over four decades.