Preview of NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Game

TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — A pair of teams looking to regain momentum will meet in the NCAA Tournament on Friday when the seed Clemson Tigers face the seed Iowa Hawkeyes at Amalie Arena.

Clemson (24-10) enters the postseason after a 61-73 loss at Duke on March 13, snapping a three-game winning streak. The Tigers, led by forward RJ Godfrey, have shown resilience in close games, including an 80-79 road win over North Carolina on March 12. Godfrey averaged 16.3 points over his final three regular-season contests.

Iowa (21-12) seeks to end a skid, having lost four of its last five, including a 69-72 defeat at Ohio State on March 12. The Hawkeyes’ fortunes often hinge on guard Bennett Stirtz, who has been a volume scorer and distributor. Stirtz averaged 18.1 points over his last seven games, including a 22-point performance in a win over Ohio State on Feb. 25.

The matchup features contrasting styles. Iowa, a slight 1.5-point favorite according to FanDuel Sportsbook, plays at a faster pace and will rely on Stirtz to generate offense. Clemson will look to leverage its size and defensive discipline, which helped secure a stronger seed in a competitive Atlantic Coast Conference.

The game’s over/under is set at 131 points. Iowa won its only prior meeting with Clemson, 85-76, in the 1982 NCAA Tournament.

The winner will advance to face the top seed in the region on Sunday.