'Party Like It’s 1999.' Revisit life the last time Iowa made Sweet 16
Iowa men's basketball last made it to the Sweet 16 in 1999. Let's take a walk down memory lane to see what was popular then.
Bennet Stirtz and the rest of the Iowa men's basketball team had fans partying like it's 1999 when the No. 9 seed Hawkeyes beat No. 1 Florida 73-72 in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
The year 1999 was also the last time Iowa reached the Sweet 16 in the men's tournament. Hawkeye fans in 2026 know how nice it is to have their team reach the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, but what was it like in 1999? Flashback to the 1999 Hawkeyes It's March 13, 1999, and a ruckus group of Hawkeye fans exits the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver.
A year from now, the aging, 1970s‑era arena will be demolished to clear space for the city's next generation of pro sports venues. The No. 5 seed Hawkeyes just defeated No.
4 Arkansas 82-72 in the 1999 NCAA Tournament to advance to their first Sweet 16 since 1988. In his 13th and final season, head coach Tom Davis guided Iowa to an 18–8 regular‑season record and an NCAA tournament berth on the strength of guard Dean Oliver and big man J. R.