Iowa Upsets Fab Five: Iowa Time Machine January 31, 1993

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On January 31, 1993, the Iowa basketball team stepped onto the court to face Michigan’s “Fab Five” just twelve days after an auto accident claimed the life of Hawkeye Chris Street. The Hawkeyes won 81-72 in a game that meant much more than an upset win over a conference opponent.

Chris Street, a 6'8" junior from Indianola, Iowa, had become the heart of the 1992-93 team, leading the Big Ten in rebounding and free throw percentage. He embodied the Iowa work ethic that resonated deeply with fans throughout the state. His tragic death following a collision with a snowplow, not even two weeks before the matchup with Michigan, shook the state of Iowa to its core. After returning to the court with a 96-90 win over Michigan State, Dr. Tom Davis and the Hawkeyes returned to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the first game following Street’s death.

Michigan's Fab Five, meanwhile, came into the game ranked fifth in the country and representing a new wave in college basketball. Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson had revolutionized college basketball with their brash style, baggy shorts, and cultural swagger. They were talented, confident, and undefeated in Big Ten play heading into Iowa City. The atmosphere inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena on that Sunday afternoon defied description. Fans wore black-and-gold ribbons in Street's memory. His jersey sat draped over a chair on the team’s bench. The Hawkeyes wore warm-up shirts bearing his number 40.

When the game began, Iowa played with an intensity that seemed to draw from something beyond basketball strategy. Iowa's defense swarmed, its offense executed with precision, and when the final buzzer sounded, players collapsed into each other's arms while 15,000 fans wept and cheered simultaneously. Chris Street's legacy endures at the University of Iowa decades after that victory. The university established the Chris Street Award, given annually to a Hawkeye player who best exemplifies the qualities Street displayed: leadership, commitment, and inspiration. His number 40 remains retired, visible at every home game. #Iowa #OTD #History #Basketball #Hawkeyes