Iowa basketball’s Sweet 16 opponent in the 2026 NCAA Tournament is set.
After defeating Florida in the Round of 32, the Hawkeyes will take on 4-seed Nebraska in the March Madness Round of Sweet 16 on Thursday in Houston. Time and TV info will be released later on Sunday.
The Huskers boast a 28-6 overall record following a dramatic second-round win over Vanderbilt on Saturday. Let’s take a deeper dive into the matchup and make a prediction for the Sweet 16 of men’s March Madness.
Buy Iowa NCAA tournament tickets vs. Nebraska
What are some of Nebraska basketball’s notable results in 2025-26?
Nebraska has unquestionably had its best year in program history this season. After making nine total NCAA Tournament appearances, including this season, the Cornhuskers finally earned thier first-ever March Madness win. They followed that up with another in the second round to make the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.
It’s not a super shocking development, though, as this team has looked solid all year. In addition to their NCAA Tournament wins over Troy and Vanderbilt, they also have wins in the regular season over Illinois, Michigan State, Indiana, USC and Iowa. The Hawkeyes did take down Nebraska in their meeting in Iowa City, though.
Who are Nebraska’s top players?
Pryce Sandfort, a name Iowa fans know well, is Nebraska’s top scorer. The former Hawkeye is leading the way with an average of 17.9 points per game and is shooting nearly 50% from the floor. Rienk Mast (13.5) and Braden Frager (11.7) are also averaging over 10 points per game. Mast is leading the team in boards with an average of 5.8 per night.
Another name Iowa fans might be familiar with is Sam Hoiberg, son of Nebraska coach and Iowa State legend Fred Hoiberg. He leads the Huskers with 4.4 assists per game and came up with a huge moment, scoring a very late game-tying basket on a rebound and put back in the final minutes of the win over Vanderbilt.
Iowa vs Nebraska betting odds: March Madness Sweet 16
All odds come from BetMGM
Iowa vs Nebraska prediction: March Madness Sweet 16
The Huskers and Hawkeyes split the season series, with each of them winning on thier home floors. This game, though, clearly has a lot more at stake than just a regular season Big Ten victory. Both games were very tight, with Nebraska’s win earlier this month in Lincoln going to overtime with a big Iowa comeback.
This game could really go either way, and regardless of the result, it would be historic. A win would earn Iowa its first trip to the Elite Eight since 1987. A victory for Nebraska would keep this historic March Madness run alive. Either way, the winner of this one will be just three wins away from a national title.
Iowa 68, Nebraska 65
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa basketball vs Nebraska prediction, our pick for NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
Reporting by HawkCentral staff report, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
