NCAA Sweet 16: Iowa vs Nebraska Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 26)
- The Hawkeyes stunned Florida in the second round.
- The Cornhuskers took down Vanderbilt in the Round of 32.
- This marks the 45th all-time matchup between the two squads.
The Sweet 16 of the 2026 NCAA Tournament gets interesting as the Iowa Hawkeyes duel with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The former comes out as the slight favorite as both Big Ten teams compete for the right to move on to the Elite Eight of March Madness.
How to Watch
- When: Thursday, March 26, 7:30 pm ET
- Where: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
- How to Watch: truTV/TBS
NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines
| Team | Odds | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | -107 | +1.5 | O131.5 |
| Nebraska | -113 | +1.5 | U131.5 |
Game Preview
The Hawkeyes (23-12) make their way to the Sweet 16 of March Madness after dispatching Clemson in the Round of 64 and dethroning Florida in the Round of 32. Tavion Banks finished with a game-high 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting and six rebounds. Alvaro Folgueiras added 14 points and five rebounds, while Bennett Stirtz recorded 13 points, five rebounds, five assists, and a steal. Cooper Koch also scored in double figures with 12 points, connecting on four 3-pointers.
The Cornhuskers (28-6) earned their first-ever wins in the NCAA Tournament, dominating Troy in the first round and taking down Vanderbilt in the second round. The Huskers featured a balanced scoring attack and were led in scoring by Braden Frager and Pryce Sandfort who each finished the game with 15 points. Mast and Berke Buyuktuncel also scored in double figures with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Iowa vs Nebraska Head-to-Head
The two programs have faced each other 44 times in their respective histories, seeing the Hawkeyes with the 28-16 edge. The last matchup in March this year when Nebraska secured an 84-75 overtime win at home.
Iowa vs Nebraska Predictions
The winner of this matchup will take on the victors between Illinois and Houston in the Elite Eight. Both squads needed game-winning baskets to pull off incredible wins over their previous opponents, seeing Alvaro Folgueiras succeed for Iowa and Braden Frager for Nebraska. More of those clutch moments might come into play once again between these squads that possess balance on both sides of the ball, so may the better offense win. Our betting pick here is the Cornhuskers to defend a 1.5-point spread.
- Free NCAAB pick:Â Nebraska Cornhuskers -1.5
