Pick your best NCAA tournament wins by a team from Iowa

It's been said that Northern Iowa's win over Kansas last Saturday was the biggest ever by an Iowa team in the NCAA tournament?

Was it? I think that depends on the meaning of  "biggest."

Iowa won a game in the Final Four to get into the national-title game of 1956, which it lost to Bill Russell's San Francisco squad.

The year before, the Hawkeyes won a game to get into the Final Four. Just like Drake did in 1969. And Iowa again in 1980.

Plus, Iowa and Iowa State won regional semifinals in 1987 and 2000, respectively.

But ... if we're talking sheer national impact, none of those games touch UNI dumping the top seed in the tournament. People who had never before seen a Northern Iowa game were shouting after that one.

What are your favorite NCAA tourney games of Iowa's "Big Four?" They don't have to be wins, just memorable.

I'll list a few:

Iowa's victories over Texas El-Paso and Oklahoma on its way to the West Regional final in 1987. Nail-biters deluxe. That was a Hawkeyes team that played so many great games.

Iowa State's 67-66 triumph over Cincinnati in the second round of the 1997 tourney. Cincinnati was a No. 3 seed, ISU a No. 6. Danny Fortson, a big man who went on to play in the NBA game, was frustrated by the Cyclones.

UNI's 74-71 first-round conquest of Missouri in 1990. Maurice Newby for three points in the final few seconds. The 14th-seed Panthers got their first NCAA win over the No. 3-seed Tigers.

Iowa's 81-79 first-round win over George Washington in 1996. The Hawkeyes trailed by 17 points with 8:04 left. Russ Millard made two free throws with :03 left for the deciding points.

Iowa State's 80-56 pasting of UCLA in the Midwest Regional semifinals in 2000. Though the Cyclones were a No. 2 seed and the Bruins a No. 6, some Los Angeles people still expected a UCLA win. But ISU's Jamaal Tinsley was one rebound shy of a triple-double, with 14 points, 11 assists and 9 boards. He's still playing in the NBA.

Iowa's 82-72 win over Arkansas in the West Regional second-round in 1999. The Hawkeyes weren't supposed to win two games in the tourney. In fact, it was the first time they had done it for Tom Davis in 11 years. But with Davis already fired at the start of the season, this Iowa team sent him out in style. They lost their next game, but to the team that went on to win the national title, Connecticut.

And you can't forget ... Iowa's 81-80 East Regional final win over Georgetown to reach the Final Four. Iowa made 17 of its final 21 shots, and Steve Waite's 3-point play with five seconds left broke a 78-78 tie. There was no 3-point shot then.

Some unforgettable NCAA losses for in-state teams include Drake's magnificent effort in losing a national semifinal to UCLA in 1969, Iowa falling to Louisville in the 1980 national semis after Ronnie Lester reinjured his knee early in the game, Iowa's loss to UNLV in the West Regional final in 1987, and Iowa State's regional final loss to Michigan State in 2000.

Wow, a lot of pain in that paragraph.

And do I dare mention the name "Northwestern State?"

Now it's your turn. Pick your favorites from this list or your own, and if you want, the most painful NCAA game of your memory.