No. 9 seed Iowa withstood a late push from eighth-seeded Clemson to earn a 67-61 win in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Late pressure, steady finish
Clemson made a comeback bid down the stretch, but Iowa weathered the rally and closed out the six-point victory to advance. The result moved Iowa past a higher-seeded opponent in a tightly contested 8-9 matchup, where margins are often slim and late-game execution can decide the outcome.
Iowa’s ability to hold firm in the closing moments proved decisive as Clemson’s late momentum wasn’t enough to overturn the deficit. With the win, Iowa continues its NCAA tournament run, while Clemson’s season ends in the opening round.