Florida鈥檚 Boogie Fland was driving to the basket with 1:10 remaining and a three-point lead over Iowa when Hawkeyes forward Cooper Koch stepped into the lane, swatted at the ball and it sailed out of bounds. Officials ruled it Florida鈥檚 ball.
Iowa coach Ben McCollum quickly consulted video coordinator Jace Smith, who checked his iPad and nodded yes 鈥� go for it.
鈥淚 had a very clear view,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淥nce I saw it, I felt pretty confident, so it was an instant yes. That was a big moment.”
McCollum challenged the call and won; Fland had touched it last. Iowa took possession and outscored Florida 5-1 in the final minute to oust the defending champion and 1-seeded Gators with a and advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999.
That the tournament’s biggest thriller so far was set up in part by a coach’s challenge is something that wouldn鈥檛 have been possible in years past. This season is the first where coaches are allowed to by officiating crews. The rule change was approved in June, and eight months later, it’s still an adjustment for even the most experienced staffs.
When used correctly, a challenge can flip a game in seconds. But the Gators already knew that.
A new seat on the bench
Florida鈥檚 chances of winning a mid-January game at Vanderbilt were slipping when video coordinator Nolan Crist spotted an on-court tangle. He checked the iPad, sideline discussions commenced and what followed changed the game. Coach Todd Golden鈥檚 challenge revealed a hook-and-hold, which led to a seven-point swing and boosted Florida鈥檚 win probability by roughly 30%. The Gators went on to by four.
Like Iowa, Florida turned to its video coordinator when challenges were introduced. Crist, like all the others, has seconds to make a recommendation.
NCAA men’s teams get one challenge per game and must have a timeout to use it. If the call is overturned, the timeout is retained and the team gets one other challenge. If the call stands, the timeout is lost and no further challenges are allowed. Challenges aren鈥檛 used in the women鈥檚 game, but coaches can appeal calls. There is no limit on the number of appeals, but a failed one can cost a team a timeout if available. An unsuccessful appeal without an available timeout results in a technical foul and two free throws and possession for the opponent.
For Florida, when a potentially challenge-worthy play unfolds on the court all eyes turn to Crist.
鈥淲hen a play happens, and every coach turns around and looks at Nolan, he understands it鈥檚 his time to shine and figure out what we need to do,鈥� Golden said.
A similar process is followed at N.C. State, where assistant general manager Patrick Stacy runs the system for the men鈥檚 team. Stacy keeps a tablet running next to him 鈥� sometimes on the floor next to his bench seat, other times leaning against the scorer鈥檚 table 鈥� while tracking play calls and lineups during the game.
鈥淥n any close play, I don鈥檛 wait for the call, I just instantly look down and watch the replay and then start clicking rewind,鈥� Stacy said. 鈥淚f I hear the call went our direction, I鈥檒l obviously put the iPad down and stop reviewing it. If it didn鈥檛, then my clock of that 10 to 15 seconds has started, and we鈥檝e got to make a decision on if it鈥檚 the best option or to challenge or not.鈥�
If it passes his review, all information is presented to coach Will Wade for the final decision.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just a one-person decision. Usually, you鈥檒l hear from the bench what they think鈥� Then coach will look at it and we kind of come to a consensus,鈥� Stacy said.
A complex dynamic with officials
The introduction of challenges has changed dynamics beyond the bench. Video replays are now inaccessible to officials until the final two minutes of the game, meaning the bench has unseen angles at its disposal.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very easy for us to get the call right when we鈥檙e able to stare at the iPad right after, and these guys don鈥檛 have the luxury to do that,鈥� Golden said. 鈥淚t makes it a little bit of a 鈥榞otcha鈥� game, and I think it鈥檚 a little unfair for the refs that way.鈥�
Several conferences told The Associated Press they do not track challenges. But in 243 men鈥檚 basketball games at home arenas in the this season, there were 128 total challenges; 85 were reversed and 43 calls stood, a 2-to-1 ratio.
鈥淚t’s a little more accurate in how it鈥檚 officiated,鈥� Stacy said. 鈥淚f you can switch to one or two calls a game to get them right, relative to ones that would be wrong in prior years, it rings truer to what the outcome should be.鈥�
The strategy behind the challenge
As coaches grow more accustomed to challenges, teams are developing strategies to maximize them.
Stacy said teams often buy extra time while deciding whether to challenge by sending a substitute to the scorer鈥檚 table. Aside from egregious errors, most staffs save challenges for higher-leverage moments later in games.
McCollum’s staff knows not to pull the trigger unless there’s absolute confidence that the call will be overturned.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got a really good video guy, got a really good staff, and so they pay attention to it,” McCollum said. 鈥淭hey know to only challenge if you鈥檙e a 100% certain. I don鈥檛 want 90%. I want a 100%.鈥�
Were they sure against the Gators with 70 seconds left in the game?
鈥淵eah, he was 100% sure,鈥� McCollum said. 鈥淎nd I didn鈥檛 even look at him. He called out to me. He said, 鈥楥hallenge that one, coach.鈥欌��
It’s a strategy that has fared well for the Hawkeyes; 9 of 10 challenges have been overturned in Iowa’s favor this year, according to KenPom.com.
The have had similar success, winning 10 of 12 challenges this season by KenPom.com’s count. Golden credits his staff’s detailed preparation as the key to turning a challenge into an advantage. Those efforts included the creation of a challenge chart specific to in-game scenarios.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just something that we鈥檙e organized on, and I think that鈥檚 why we鈥檝e been relatively successful with it,鈥� Golden said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not going to be perfect, but it has been a huge part of our success.鈥�
And as the Gators learned, a challenge can make or break a season.
鈥�-
AP Sports Writers Aaron Beard, Mark Long and Kristie Rieken contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
