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12-seed Northern Iowa Faces 5-seed St. John's in NCAA Showdown

3/20/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The 12-seed Northern Iowa Panthers will face the 5-seed St. John's Red Storm in the East Region of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET in San Diego.
Northern Iowa is 23-12 after winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
St. John's is 28-6 and came off a strong Big East Tournament.
Zuby Ejiofor averages 16.3 points per game for St. John's.

History

Historical Context

The 1985 NCAA Tournament was historic as it featured the first 64-team field and saw the Georgetown Hoyas, the defending champions, face the eighth-seeded Villanova Wildcats in the championship game. Villanova's 66-64 victory on April 1, 1985, is regarded as one of the biggest upsets in sports history, reshaping perceptions of lower-seeded teams and enhancing the excitement of March Madness.

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Story summary

The 12-seed Northern Iowa Panthers will face the 5-seed St. John's Red Storm in the East Region of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET in San Diego.
Northern Iowa is 23-12 after winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
St. John's is 28-6 and came off a strong Big East Tournament.
Zuby Ejiofor averages 16.3 points per game for St. John's.

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