| Des Moines Register
Video: Ben McCollum previews Iowa basketball’s matchup with Florida
Ben McCollum meets with media ahead of Iowa basketball’s NCAA Tournament matchup with Florida.
It’s been a minute since the Iowa men’s basketball team played in the Sweet 16.
Twenty-seven years, to be exact.
Coach Tom Davis’ final Hawkeye team advanced to the NCAA Tournament regional semifinals in 1999, losing to eventual national champion UConn.
Iowa posted a 20-10 record during the 1998-99 season. The Hawkeyes beat UAB 77-64 and Arkansas 82-72 in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament before losing to the Huskies 78-68.
Some of Iowa’s top players that season were Jess Settles, Dean Oliver, Kent McCausland and J.R. Koch (whose son Cooper Koch is on the current Hawkeye team).
Davis was informed before the 1998-99 season that his contract would not be renewed after 13 years in Iowa City. His team sent him off on a positive note. Davis later coached at Drake before retiring.
Davis’ successors (Steve Alford, Todd Lickliter and Fran McCaffery) were unable to get the Hawkeyes to a Sweet 16.
Ben McCollum’s first Iowa team is playing Florida on Sunday night in the round of 32. The winner goes to the Sweet 16 in Houston.
