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Nebraska vs Iowa live updates: Prediction, time, how to watch Sweet 16 game
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- Nebraska vs Iowa live updates: Prediction, time, how to watch Sweet 16 game
Nebraska basketball is liking this whole winning NCAA Tournament games thing.
After the Cornhuskers won their first March Madness game in program history in the first round over Troy, they doubled their fun with a second-round win over Vanderbilt in one of the games of the tournament so far .
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Has Fred Hoiberg had a chance to take it all in?
"It's on to the next," he said Wednesday. "If you get caught up in it and if you get satisfied, you're not going to last very long in this tournament."
March Madness: Sweet 16 games ranked
March Madness upset predictions: Ranking 5 most likely Sweet 16 surprises
This is an unfamiliar feeling for Nebraska, but a familiar foe awaits them in Thursday's Sweet 16 in Houston: Big Ten compatriot Iowa.
While Nebraska is coming off the game of the tournament, Iowa is coming off the upset of the tournament after knocking off No. 1 seed and defending national champion Florida in the second round — despite Hawkeyes star guard Bennett Stirtz going 0-for-9 from 3.
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"Even though we beat a 1 seed, we can't get complacent, we got to keep getting better every day and get ready for the game (Thursday)," Stirtz said.
The winner of tonight's game advances to Saturday's Elite Eight against the winner of Houston/Illinois.
Here's what you need to know about tonight's game, including predictions.
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Nebraska vs Iowa basketball live score
| TEAMS |
1H |
2H |
F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa |
— |
— |
— |
| Nebraska |
— |
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What time is Nebraska vs Iowa Sweet 16 game today?
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET from Houston.
What channel is Nebraska vs Iowa game on? How to watch, streaming info
Nebraska vs. Iowa will air on TBS and truTV and stream via Fubo.
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Nebraska vs Iowa prediction, odds
Odds provided by BetMGM as 9:30 a.m., Thursday, March 26.
∎ Tyler Tachman, Des Moines Register:Iowa 68, Nebraska 65
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.
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Blake Toppmeyer:Nebraska
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Paul Myerberg:Nebraska
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Jordan Mendoza:Nebraska
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John Brice:Nebraska
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Matt Glenesk:Nebraska
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Craig Meyer:Iowa
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John Leuzzi:Nebraska
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Austin Curtright:Iowa
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Ehsan Kassim:Nebraska
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Moneyline:Nebraska (-130); Iowa (+110)
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Spread:Nebraska (-1.5)
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Over/under total:131.5
Why did Pryce Sandfort transfer from Iowa to Nebraska?
Nebraska's leading scorer Pryce Sandfort transferred from Iowa to Nebraska after the Hawkeyes fired Fran McCaffery following last season.
After Iowa hired Ben McCollum, every Hawkeye scholarship player except one transferred to a new home, including Pryce to Nebraska.
"It's like a Hollywood horror story almost," said Pryce's older brother Payton , who starred for the Hawkeyes. "You want both teams to do so well. And they're both having dream seasons. … And now they run into each other?"
"I could never not support Pryce," he added. "I know what we've been through together and what we've dreamed about. For him to have a chance to play in the Final Four, that's pretty special for my family. It's just, why couldn't it be (against) anybody else?"
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Is Sam Hoiberg related to Fred Hoiberg?
Yes, he's his son. While Fred was known for his 3-point shooting, Sam is a nuisance on defense and earned votes for Big Ten's defensive player of the year, which went to Michigan center Aday Mara.
Sam averages 9.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 4.3 apg.
∎ Read more about the Hoibergs from USA TODAY Sports' Danielle Lerner .
What happened when Iowa, Nebraska played this season?
The teams split their regular season series.
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Iowa won 57-52 on Feb. 17
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Nebraska won 84-75 in OT on March 8
Bennett Stirtz followed Ben McCollum from Drake to Iowa
The Hawkeyes' leading scorer Bennett Stirtz (19.7 ppg) transferred from Drake to Iowa, following coach Ben McCollum. The two were key to the Bulldogs' first-round upset of Missouri in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
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"Yeah, the amount of trust I have in him, and that he never lies to anyone on this team, including me. He shoots it straight," Stirtz said on his relationship with McCollum. "Even when it's tough and even when it's hard. He pushes you past your limit and I think that's where the trust comes in and he cares about you a lot and wants to make you a better person. So, yeah, he just pushes everyone on this team and honestly you can see the benefit from that and even in the wins that he's all had throughout his career, he doesn't get complacent. So that's what we need to do and continue to do is even though we beat a 1 seed, we can't get complacent, we got to keep getting better every day and get ready for the game tomorrow."
Why does Alvaro Folgueiras point to sky after 3-pointers?
Folgueiras points up at the sky after every 3-pointer he makes in honor of his dad, who died when he was 9 years old. He pointed at the sky after hitting his eventual game-winner against Florida, although he waited for the Gators' timeout after running back on defense.
Folgueiras expressed what his family means to him after the game, and mentioned his mom being a rock throughout his childhood without his dad.
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"He left us with my mom and my brother in my house," he said. "It was kind of hard. We didn't really feel it as much because my mom always made sure that we didn't need anything, absolutely nothing. So, I cannot say that I grew up in an environment where I needed some things. No, that's not the truth.
"Sometimes I can say that because I feel his absence. I was just going in the court and playing to get away of my house to be with something else. But I can say that I had a happy childhood. Something that we all said, and everyone has these kinds of things on their life.
"It's that we are not victims. I never let things like that make me a victim. Not to me and not to my brother, not to my mom. We are like that because my mom was showing out every single day. Yeah."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nebraska vs Iowa news, live updates, prediction, how to watch Sweet 16
