Iowa, aiming to seal NCAA status, opens Big Ten tourney vs. Maryland

Iowa is listed at No. 25 in the NET Rankings, suggesting that it is a lock for an NCAA Tournament berth.

However, as the ninth-seeded Hawkeyes (20-11) prepare to play 17th-seeded Maryland (12-20) in their Big Ten tournament opener, an unsettling question remains.

Could another loss to a conference bottom-feeder somehow set up Iowa for disappointment on Selection Sunday?

History suggests not. Since the NET Rankings were established in 2018-19, the highest-rated team that failed to gain a bid was No.