The Iowa Hawkeyes head into this game as a No. 9 seed after upsetting the Florida Gators, while the Nebraska Cornhuskers won one of the most exciting games of the year, taking down the Vanderbilt Commodores. These are two teams coming off massive wins, and the winner will punch their ticket to the Elite 8 to take on either Houston or Illinois. Can Iowa keep up the momentum, or will they stall out against Nebraska? Let’s examine. Iowa vs Nebraska best betsPryce Sandfort 3+ 3-point shots made: -158 with FanDuelReink Mast 6+ rebounds: -170 with FanDuelBennett Stirtz under 4.5 rebounds: -140 with BetMGMThe Hawkeyes head into this game coming off a stunning 73-72 win over the Florida Gators. Iowa hit a 3-pointer with just under four seconds to go, and while Florida attempted to get the ball under the rim for an easy layup, Iowa defended it, and the buzzer went off without a shot attempt. In the win, Tavion Banks led the way with 20 points, shooting 7 of 10 from the field. Their star player, Bennett Stirtz, had 13 points and missed all nine of his 3-point attempts. So, to win the game despite Stirtz being ice cold? That’s impressive. The Hawkeyes shot just 29.2% from 3-point range and out-rebounded the Gators 24-22. Iowa is 25th in offensive efficiency (123.0) and 31st in defensive efficiency (99.6). As for the Cornhuskers, they fended off Vanderbilt after being outscored 40-35 in the second half. With nine seconds on the clock, the Cornhuskers got the rebound and proceeded to almost make a routine layup with 2.2 seconds to play. After inbounding the ball, Vanderbilt put up a shot from beyond half-court, and it rattled in and out of the basket. This was one of the most thrilling games of the season. Four Cornhuskers players had double-digit points, including Pryce Sandfort and Braden Frager, who led the way with 15 apiece. The Cornhuskers only made it to the line 10 times. They shot 55.8% from the field and 47.4% from 3-point land. The Cornhuskers are just 52nd in offensive efficiency (119.1), but are one of the best defensive units in the country, ranking sixth in defensive efficiency (92.0). Iowa vs Nebraska previewLooking over the numbers, these teams are evenly matched when it comes to shooting on both two and three-point shots. Nebraska has Sandfort, though, who attempts 8.8 3-point shots per game and is shooting 41% from that range. Iowa’s best 3-point shooter is Cooper Koch, who averages 4.3 attempts per game and is shooting 40.4%. Nebraska attempts far more 3-point shots (29.8) than Iowa (22.5). Not only that, but Nebraska is one of the best 3-point shooting defenses in the country, holding opponents to 30.1% from beyond the arc, which is eighth-best. Neither team plays uptempo, but no team is slower than Iowa, which averages just 64.6 possessions per game, which is the least in all of the country. I expect another exceptionally close game, but I give Nebraska the edge because of their defense and the disparity in 3-point shooting. Take Nebraska -1.5.Ohio State vs TCU tipsFind the latest odds for Iowa vs Nebraska courtesy of FanDuel. Odds are subject to change.SpreadOddsIowa +1.5-104Nebraska -1.5-118Total PointsOddsOver 133.5-115Under 133.5-105Pryce Sandfort 3+ 3-point shots madeSandfort has been shooting well from beyond the arc all season long, averaging 3.6 makes and 8.8 attempts (41%) per game. Over his last five games, he’s made three 3-point shots in three of them, including each of his last three, with those games including two NCAA Tournament games and a loss to Purdue. The Hawkeyes have been playing better 3-point defense lately, but Nebraska attempts so many 3-point shots thanks to Sandfort that I believe volume wins out, and Sandfort makes at least 3. Back Pryce Sandfort to have 3 3-point shots or more against Iowa at -158 with FanDuel Reink Mast 6+ reboundsOf all the players in this game, none averages more rebounds per game than Mast with 5.8. Neither team is particularly big, but the Hawkeeys are among about a dozen teams that average fewer than 30 rebounds per game. Mast had five against Vanderbilt, a team that’s better than Nebraska on the boards, but he also had six against Troy, a team that’s inside the top 60 in rebounds. This isn’t Iowa’s game, and I believe Mast has a nice edge to help give his team extra possessions in what could be a slower-paced matchup. Back Reink Mast to have 6 rebounds or more against Iowa at -170 with FanDuel Bennett Stirtz under 4.5 assistsStirtz is far and away Iowa’s leading scorer, averaging 19.7 points per game, but he also leads the team in assists with 4.5. However, in this type of game against a squad that shoots a high volume of 3-point shots and has a shooter like Sandfort, Stirtz will likely need to help maintain the scoring pace.Yes, he shot 0-for-9 from deep against Florida, but with the slow pace of both teams, Sandfort’s shooting prowess, and Nebraska’s overall defense, I believe Iowa tries to get Stirtz going rather than Stirtz dishing the ball around. Bet on Bennett Stirtz to have 4 rebounds or fewer against Nebraska at -140 with BetMGM Iowa vs Nebraska injury reportBelow are the key injuries to report ahead of this contest.Iowa HawkeyesOut: Peyton McCollum (guard) – footQuestionable: N/ADoubtful: N/ANebraska CornhuskersOut: Connor Essegian (guard) – ankleQuestionable: Ugnius Jarusevicius (forward) – undisclosed; Henry Burt (forward) – undisclosedDoubtful: N/A Iowa vs Nebraska game infoDate: Thursday, March 26, 2026Time: 7:30 pm ETVenue: Toyota Center in Houston, TexasWhere to watch: TBS/truTVAbout the authorRichard JanvrinRichard Janvrin brings nearly a decade of experience covering sports, sports betting, and everything iGaming. Richard received his bachelor’s degree in Journalism/English from the University of New Hampshire. Throughout his career, Richard has written for sites like Bleacher Report, Forbes, The Game Day, WSN, Gambling.com, and many more.Find him on Twitter: @RichardJanvrinCommercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. 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