Another year, another March Madness stained by an Iowa basketball flameout. The 2021-22 Iowa basketball team appeared primed to escape the purgatory of first-weekend NCAA Tournament exits that has housed the program since its last Sweet 16 appearance in 1999. Unlike past Fran McCaffery teams that limped into March Madness after disappointing Big Ten Tournament exits, this season’s Hawkeye squad was one of the hottest teams in the country after winning the 2022 conference tournament and nine of its previous ten games.
Unlike most of Iowa’s teams since the early Tom Davis years which were saddled with athleticism deficits compared to blue blood opponents, this year’s squad featured presumptive lottery pick Keegan Murray and a collection of other above-average athletes.