Nebraska Cornhuskers vs Iowa Hawkeyes – College Basketball Preview – Feb 17, 2026
The Nebraska Cornhuskers, ranked #9, will take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in a Big Ten conference game. The game is set for Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 9:00 PM ET at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. The Cornhuskers come into the game with a strong record of 22-3 and an impressive away record of 6-1 this season.
Iowa holds an 18-7 record with a solid home performance of 14-2. The Hawkeyes are slight favorites with a spread of -1.5. The game will be broadcast on BTN, and the over/under is set at 139.5. With both teams aiming to make a mark in the Big Ten standings, this game is important for both squads.
Nebraska Cornhuskers Team Preview
The Nebraska Cornhuskers hold a strong record of 22-3 this season. In their last three games, they have won two and lost one. Their recent win over Northwestern was by a margin of 19 points.
Nebraska’s offense ranks 124th in points per game, averaging 79.4. They are effective in shooting with a field goal percentage of 47.1, placing them 74th. The team also averages 11 three-pointers per game, which ranks 20th.
Pryce Sandfort is a key player, scoring an average of 17.5 points per game. Sam Hoiberg contributes significantly with 9.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Rienk Mast also adds strength to the team with 14.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
Iowa Hawkeyes Team Preview
The Iowa Hawkeyes have a strong record at home with 14 wins and only 2 losses. In their recent game against the Purdue Boilermakers, they lost 78-57. Bennett Stirtz was a key player, scoring 19 points and grabbing 5 rebounds.
Over the season, the Hawkeyes average 77 points per game. They have a high field goal percentage of 50.1, ranking 17th nationally. Despite this, their rebounding ranks low at 29.9 per game.
Bennett Stirtz is a standout player for Iowa, averaging 20.4 points per game. Tavion Banks also contributes with 10.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. The team has struggled recently against the spread, going 0-3 in their last three games.
Betting Prediction
Iowa is favored by 1.5 points in the game. Nebraska’s recent performance against the spread shows they are strong as underdogs, going 4-0. Iowa has struggled in their last three games against the spread, going 0-3. This makes Nebraska +1.5 a good pick.
Nebraska averages 79.4 points per game, which is higher than Iowa’s 77.0 points. They also have a higher field goal percentage, showing they can score efficiently. On the defensive side, Nebraska commits fewer fouls per game than Iowa, which may limit Iowa’s opportunities at the free-throw line.
Nebraska has been successful straight up in their last ten games, winning 70% of them. They also perform well as underdogs with a 75% win rate. Iowa, on the other hand, has a lower win rate when they are not favored, which supports a pick for Nebraska.
- Pick: Nebraska +1.5
