The Clemson Tigers face the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first round of the 2026 March Madness Tournament. Clemson is a No. 8 seed, while Iowa is a No. 9 seed. This contest is taking place in the South region of the bracket. This game is scheduled for Friday, March 20, at 6:50 p.m. ET and is taking place at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
Clemson vs. Iowa Opening Odds
The Clemson Tigers lost their last game to Duke 73-61 in the ACC Tournament, but are 3-1 in their previous four contests. Clemson went 24-10 this season, while Iowa is 21-12. The Hawkeyes have gone 3-7 in their last 10 games, struggling over the past month. RJ Godfrey (11.9 PPG) and Carter Welling (10.9 PPG) are Clemson’s lone double-digit scorers this season, as they only average 74.1 points per game as a team.
Iowa scores 75.2 points per contest but has one of the best guards in the country with Bennett Stirtz, who averages 20 points and 4.5 assists. On KenPom, Iowa is No. 25 while Clemson is ranked No. 36. Iowa has the 31st offensive rating and 30th defensive rating, while Clemson’s defensive rating is 20th with the 71st offensive rating.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Iowa is -2.5 on the spread while Clemson is a slight underdog at +120. The total is set at 131.5 points for this matchup.
