Iowa almost became the second team in NCAA tournament history to rally from a 25-point deficit, but the Hawkeyes couldn’t finish the job in overtime.
Buried under the weight of a 25-point deficit late in Sunday’s first half, 10th-seeded Iowa could have easily given up hope.
The Hawkeyes instead kept scratching and clawing their way to daylight, nearly pulling off a record-setting comeback.
Iowa almost became the second team in NCAA tournament history to rally from a 25-point deficit, but the Hawkeyes couldn’t finish the job in overtime. Grant Williams scored six of his 19 points in the extra period, helping second-seeded Tennessee escape with a 83-77 victory and advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2014.
Had Iowa won in overtime, it would have made history.
Never before had a team rallied from a 21-point halftime deficit to win an NCAA tournament game. Only 2011-12 BYU had ever erased a 25-point deficit in an NCAA tournament game, a feat the Cougars pulled off at Iona’s expense in a First Four matchup.
In some ways, Iowa’s near-miss against a team once ranked No.
