Iowa opens the NCAA Tournament in Birmingham this (Thursday) afternoon against Auburn. The game will be played about two hours from the Auburn campus.

That’s Iowa coach Fran McCaffery who says the bigger issue is the physical challenge Auburn will offer.

The Hawkeyes are 19-13 and a win tomorrow would be their 11th 20 win season in the last 13 years.

Iowa senior guard Connor McCaffery says Auburn will try to shut down the Hawkeye’s three point shooting.

Junior forward Kris Murray will ponder his future after the season is over. Murray is averaging better than 20 points and nearly 8 rebounds. He will have the opportunity to enter the NBA Draft.

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl says it will take more than a partisan crowd in Birmingham to beat the Hawkeyes.

It matches two emotional coach and one website put the over-under for technical fouls at one and-a-half.

Pearl says Iowa teams are always tough to guard.