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The No. 8 Iowa Hawkeyes will face off against No. 9 Auburn Tigers on Thursday as the 2023 NCAA Tournament gets underway. This first-round matchup is set to tip off at 6:50 p.m. ET from Birmingham, Alabama, with all the action available to watch on TNT or via live-stream on March Madness Live.
2023 March Madness: No. 8 Iowa vs. No. 9 Auburn
Date: Thursday, March 16
Start time: 6:50 p.m. ET
TV channel: TNT
Live stream: March Madness Live
Iowa finished the season with a 19-13 record overall while going 11-9 in the Big Ten, finishing fifth in the conference. Forward Kris Murray was far and away their best player, leading the team in three categories with 20.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. The Hawkeyes are making their third consecutive appearance in the tournament after a first-round exit last year thanks to an upset from No. 12 Richmond.
Auburn limped into the postseason after losing four of their final 13 games which includes a loss to Arkansas in the SEC Tournament. They finished with a 20-12 record overall and went 10-8 in the SEC during the regular season. The Tigers are making their second consecutive appearance in the tournament after losing to No. 10 Miami in last year’s edition as they’re still searching for their elusive first-ever NCAA championship.