#9 Iowa vs. #4 Nebraska Picks and Predictions: Sweet 16
Written by: Nate Hornung
Last Update: Thu Mar 26, 2026, 11:37 am ET
Read Time: 6 minutes
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It's a Big Ten party in Houston this weekend, as three teams from that conference have made the South Region Semifinals. Later tonight, the Illinois Fighting Illini will try to take down the Houston Cougars, but to start things off, two teams from the conference are going head to head. The No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes, fresh off their win over top seeded Florida, take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers for the third time this season. Let's get into our CBB expert picks and find out how to wager on this game.
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Best Bet: Iowa ML (+103) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Go check out what else I've got on my daily card, and view the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks.
#9 Iowa Hawkeyes vs. #4 Nebraska Cornhuskers NCAA Basketball Insights
Can Pryce Sandfort and the Huskers advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history?
This a game you might expect on a football field during the regular season, not necessarily in a Sweet 16 matchup in March Madness. But nevertheless, here we are. In true Big Ten fashion, I would expect these teams to start off with a ceremonial first punt before tip off, but let's look at how they faced off earlier this year.
They split the season series, with both home teams winning. Iowa took down the Huskers when they came to Iowa City in an extremely low scoring game, winning 57-52 as 1.5 point favorites, with the total staying well under 139.5. However, Nebraska got their revenge in Lincoln, beating the Hawkeyes in overtime. The Huskers covered the 4.5 point spread, and the total went over 136.5 prior to the extra period. That showed me, that Nebraska thrives in a high scoring affair, but Iowa might be the more efficient offense.
Matchup Information – Iowa vs. Nebraska – March 26
- Venue & Location: Toyota Center (Houston, TX)
- Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026
- Tip Off: 7:30 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: TBS/truTV
Iowa vs. Nebraska Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of Lucky Rebel, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of March 26, 2026 at 10:32 a.m. eastern. Sign up today with and get a $1,250 deposit bonus, as well as 50 slot spins immediately. Lucky Rebel Sportsbook offers a wide variety of unique markets across nearly every sport imaginable.
Spread
- Iowa +1.5 (-105)
- Nebraska -1.5 (-115)
Moneyline
- Iowa +103
- Nebraska -125
Total
- Over 132 (-110)
- Under 132 (-110)
#9 Iowa vs. #4 Nebraska NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions
Bennett Stirtz and the Hawkeyes have the tools to slow down Nebraska and take them out of their comfort zone
Iowa vs. Nebraska Prediction: Iowa Wins Outright, Under 132
Best Bet: Iowa ML (+103) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
In a neutral site game, I think Iowa can control the tempo. They play games on their own terms, giving the Huskers just 60 possessions in their first meeting, and only gave the Gators 61 trips. That was simply not enough for either offense to outscore the Hawkeyes. If Ben McCollum's team can slow this game down, they have a much better shot at winning outright.
Ultimately, Nebraska can shoot, and they do so well. But they do not crash the offensive glass, and they fail to get to the free throw line. The Huskers are bottom 50 in offensive rebound rate and bottom 10 in FT Rate offense. So it's tough for them to get those extra points around the bucket or with the clock stopped. Iowa plays hard nosed defense, and will absolutely refuse to give Nebraska anything easy around the hoop. If the Huskers want to win this game, they will need to shoot better than they ever have. And in an unfamiliar gym, it might be tough.
Defense wins championships, and the Hawkeyes certainly have the tools to compete with the Huskers. In that game in Lincoln, they came back in the second half to force OT, but then simply ran out of gas, as they were outscored 14-5 in that extra period. Tonight, look for Iowa to severely limit the chances given to Nebraska, forcing them to shoot lights out when given the opportunity.
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Check Out the Other March Madness Content from Betting News
For college basketball bettors, March Madness is the most wonderful time of the year. And at Betting News, we have you covered for this festively fun season with expert picks throughout the tournament from Nate Hornung and Eddie Griffin, consensus picks for every March Madness game from the First Four to the Final Four, a rundown of the best March Madness betting sites, and more.
Also, through our streams and social media channels, you can get even more insight from Nate and other members of the Betting News team, as well as offer your own thoughts and tips for the tournament.
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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