SHOCKER - Jimmy V's Iona, Ruland Stun Florida 2025 Champs

In 1980, Alex Middleton put up 18 points and 12 rebounds to almost stun Georgetown in the NCAA tournament, but the Hoyas survived 74-71 – Iona’s win streak ended at 17 games, and Jimmy Valvano was then recruited to NC State for the next season where he quickly built the team to stunning NCAA Champ.

Iona’s Jeff Ruland from that end went onto be a dominant NBA center. leading the league in rebounds and minutes played four years later as an All-Star for the Washington Bullet's who finished 9th in MVP voting.

In our Value Add Basketball Game Sweet 16 of newly created teams, Iona came down to the wire in another Cinderella game, and this time Middleton came through with one more big play to help Iona 1980 pull off the shocker over the 2025 NCAA champ Florida.

Iona led most of the way until the Gators Walter Clayton came through with a 4-point play to give Florida the 77-76 lead with a minute 30 to play.

Ruland and Clayton traded baskets to make ti 79-78 Florida and then both defenses tightened up, and with one possession to go Florida had the ball.

Iona’s only option was to create and extra possession with the “turnover or foul” strategy where the 20-sided die is not rolled because there will be no shot, but rather the other three dice are rolled to see who gets the ball (on the 8-sided die) and then all results are a foul EXCEPT if a steal or turnover results.

Luckily for Iona the 8-sided die was a “4” to put the ball at the powerforward’s hands, and the 14 was barely within Middleton’s defensive range of 11-14 for a steal, creating the extra possession to give both team’s one extra chance.

Mike Palma missed a potential game-winner, but Ruland grabbed the rebound and passed to Middleton, who score the 80-79 game-winner, as the Gators turned it over at the other end to advance Iona to our Elite 8 on another Jim Valvano Cinderella stunner. 

In our Elite 8, Iona will either get one of the four other 2025 teams to make our Sweet 16 - St. John's - or they will get the only ever Sweet 16 Ball State team - a team that almost stunned UNLV in the Sweet 16.

Here is Florida's starting line-up.

Here is Iona's starting line-up.