Iowa’s March Madness miracle continues. The ninth-seeded Hawkeyes just knocked off fourth-seeded Nebraska 77-71 on Thursday night in Houston, advancing to the Elite Eight and keeping their improbable tournament run alive under first-year coach Ben McCollum.

Bennett Stirtz led the charge with 20 points, while Alvaro Folgueiras added 16 and sealed the victory with a crucial three-point play when Nebraska inexplicably had only four defenders on the floor. For a team that started the tournament as a low seed, Iowa is now playing like a squad destined for something special. They’ve already knocked off top-seeded Florida with a Folgueiras three-pointer in the closing seconds of the second round, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down.

This Elite Eight appearance marks Iowa’s first since 1987 and makes them the lowest-seeded Big Ten team to reach a regional final since seeding began in 1979. McCollum, who won four Division II national titles at Northwest Missouri State before this gig, isn’t getting caught up in the fairy tale narrative. “Cinderella, whatever they want to call us, just we’re in the Elite Eight”, he said. “That’s what they need to call us”.

Nebraska’s Pryce Sandfort was outstanding with 25 points and six three-pointers, and Braden Frager added 16 more. But the Cornhuskers couldn’t maintain their second-half shooting consistency. They went just 9 of 32 from the field after halftime and only made 6 of 24 three-point attempts. Coach Fred Hoiberg acknowledged the missed opportunities but gave props to Iowa’s execution down the stretch. “They made all the open shots at the end, we didn’t”, Hoiberg said.

The story here is McCollum’s remarkable coaching journey. He and Stirtz have been together since Northwest Missouri State, continued at Drake, and now they’re taking the Big Ten by storm at Iowa. Stirtz got emotional talking about his coach, saying McCollum turned him into “a great person off the court and a great player on the court”, but preferred to focus on what’s ahead rather than dwell on their connection.

Up next for Iowa is another Big Ten showdown against Illinois on Saturday for a spot in the Final Four. The Hawkeyes have already proven they belong in tournament conversations with elite programs, and McCollum isn’t ready to celebrate just yet. “It’s been a hell of a ride”, he said. “But it’s far from over”.

Meanwhile, Hoiberg deserves credit for completely turning around Nebraska’s program after a rough previous season. The Cornhuskers notched their first-ever NCAA tournament wins this March and reached the Sweet 16, setting program records along the way. Even in defeat, there’s a lot to be proud of in Lincoln. Both coaches showed mutual respect after the game, with Hoiberg praising McCollum’s ability to succeed at every level he’s coached and McCollum returning the compliment for what Nebraska accomplished this season.