Elite Eight Bid Raising 'Hoop Fever' as Hawkeyes Staying Perfect

For the first time in three years, the Iowa men's basketball team is going dancing in March . The Hawkeyes heard their name called on Selection Sunday as a nine-seed in the South Region, taking on the eight-seed Clemson Tigers on Friday. The winner of that game will face the winner of the top-seeded Florida against either Lehigh or Prairie View A&M.

After weeks of up-and-down play, Iowa lands in the 8/9 game that many people projected them at. The first season under Ben McCollum has now officially resulted in an NCAA tournament appearance, which is a great first step for everyone involved. Now the question is, how far can Iowa go?

Here are some instant reactions to Iowa's first tournament berth in three years. Iowa basketball got a tough March Madness draw This could be said for almost every team in the 8/9 game each year, but it rings especially true for the Hawkeyes right now. In the first round, they'll take on a Clemson team that finished fourth in the ACC and had some marquee wins over North Carolina, Louisville, and SMU this season.

They're a veteran-laden team with a coach who's been there before. And if Iowa finds a way past them in the first round, their reward will probably be a matchup with top-seeded Florida . The Gators are a bad matchup for the Hawkeyes, as they have a ton of size that Iowa can't match in the post.