No. 9 Iowa pulled off the biggest upset yet in 2026 March Madness on Sunday by defeating No. 1 seed Florida State.
While the basketball world is still buzzing about the Hawkeyes’ surprise victory over the defending March Madness champions, Iowa State swingman Tavion Banks believes the team has the secret to success before the game even begins.
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Banks believes the divisional round prepares Iowa State well for its game against the Gators.
“We belong to the Big Ten. They belong to the SEC,” Banks noted. “I just knew we were more physical and after watching film and seeing what they were doing, I just knew there was a chance to win the game.”
It was clear Iowa State wasn’t going to back down against the Gators early on, as a tandem between Alvaro Folgueiras and Alex Condon resulted in two technical fouls being called with just over eight minutes left in the first half.
Banks, Folgueras and Kam Manyavu resolved foul trouble in the final seconds of the game and Iowa State escaped with a thrilling victory. Banks scored a Hawkeyes-high 20 points.
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Iowa basketball: Tavion Banks says Hawkeyes are more physical than Florida State