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March breeds unlikely heroes, and another was born on Sunday in Tampa.
With the crowd, the momentum and the talent all on Florida's side, Iowa had one chance to take down the defending champions and drew up a play that got the ball not to star Bennett Stirtz, but to junior Alvaro Folgeurias.
A wide-open Folgueiras drilled a corner 3-pointer for the lead, and Florida couldn't get a shot off on its final possession with 4.5 seconds remaining. Iowa came away with an unlikely 73-72 win to secure its first trip to the Sweet 16 since 1999.
IOWA TAKES THE LEAD LATE! pic.twitter.com/SkTT5OP2w9
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 23, 2026Earlier in the game, Folgueiras was involved in a scuffle with Alex Condon, which drew double technical fouls. Florida coach Todd Golden was furious with the officials after the sequence, seemingly because Folgueiras wasn't ejected.
Iowa's Alvaro Folgueiras & Florida's Alex Condon received technical fouls on this play. pic.twitter.com/IKcZiqsPvP
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 22, 2026Instead, Folgueiras and Iowa are headed to the second weekend while Golden and the Gators will not have the chance to defend their title.
Here's what you need to know about Folgueiras after Sunday's stunner.
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Who is Alvaro Folgueiras?
Folgueiras spent his first two collegiate seasons at Robert Morris in the Horizon League before transferring to Iowa after coach Ben McCollum was hired. Folgueiras was the Horizon League Player of the Year in 2024-25, averaging 14.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists as the Colonials reached the NCAA Tournament.
The 20-year-old previously played for Unicaja Baloncesto in Spain before playing at DME Academy in Florida.
While Folgueiras was given the Horizon League's top honor a year ago, he has come off the bench in all but one game for Iowa this season. That reduced role could have ruffled some feathers, but he instead adapted to it well and took advantage of his opportunity in the NCAA Tournament.
Folgueiras points to the sky after every made 3-pointer, as a tribute to his father who passed away when he was nine years old. There is no doubt Sunday's shot, the biggest of his career, had him thinking of his dad.
"March is for the dreamers, and there's no better dreamer than us," Folgueiras said after the victory.
MORE: How Florida continued troubling trend for defending champions in March
Where is Alvaro Folgueiras from?
Folgueiras was born and raised in Spain before coming over to the United States to finish his high school career and audition for colleges. He committed to Robert Morris out of high school and spent two seasons with the Colonials before joining the Hawkeyes.
Folgueiras' mother watched him play in-person for the first time in two years when Iowa defeated Clemson in the first round on Friday. "That gave me another reason to fight even harder," he told reporters after the game. On Sunday, Folgueiras gave her a reason to stick around for another week. The two shared an emotional moment after the win"
"It's very special...it's for the dreamers and there's no better dreamer than us."@AJRoss_TV caught up with Alvaro Folgueiras who hit the game-winner to knock off 1-seed Florida to move on to the Sweet 16. pic.twitter.com/wxJGdvN3d3
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 23, 2026MORE: Coaches Todd Golden, Ben McCollum get into heated exchange
Alvaro Folgueiras stats
| Season | Team | Games | PPG | RPG | APG | STL | FG% |
| 2023-24 | Robert Morris | 32 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 45.6% |
| 2024-25 | Robert Morris | 35 | 14.1 | 9.1 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 54.8% |
| 2025-26 | Iowa | 34 | 8.3 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 49.0% |
| Career | 101 | 9.4 | 5.8 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 51.1% |
Folgueiras averaged 14.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game in his second season at Robert Morris, shooting nearly 55 percent from the floor, and he is averaging 8.3 points per game off the bench for Iowa this season.
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