How about that for a game folks?!
If you tuned out for the ending of this one, you certainly weren’t the only one. This game felt like such a guaranteed loss that you had fans filing their way out of Carver with basketball still left to be played.
Another team played outstanding against Iowa, a recurring theme all season of opponents just putting it all together whenever against Fran McCaffery’s boys. The Spartans shot out of their mind in this one, over 70% from beyond the arc. That is pure insanity, and only happens against Iowa of course. Tyson Walker had a career game for Michigan State. Again, everyone has their career game against the Hawkeyes.
The one really felt like the final blow on Iowa’s season. Three straight losses in a row where they simply had no answer for their opponents. Iowa couldn’t stop anything on defense, proving to be the complete inverse from the Ferentz-led football squad. Kiss the NCAA Tournnament goodbye folks.
Then everything changed, and it all started with a stare-down. You can question coach Fran McCaffery’s behavior on the court all you want, and many did when they saw him in a deadlock stare with the official. Just another Fran McCaffery melt-down as the team crumbles around him.
They did not crumble though. Iowa just started hitting everything, and they completed a comeback for the ages, winning 112-106 in overtime over Michigan State. The Hawkeyes were down 93-81 with 1:23 left to play, and still down 96-86 with less than a minute remaining. With some extremely hard work on the boards and a little bit of magic, Iowa stormed back and really saved their season.
You saw a dramatic shift from fans on social media during the dying embers of this contest. From pure destitution at the seemingly lost season to pure elation at what quickly became a “where were you when this happened” moment. Here are the best social media reactions through that journey.