The Iowa Hawkeyes take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln, Nebraska. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. ET on FOX.
Nebraska is favored by 5.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -250. The total is set at 134 points.
Here’s my Iowa vs. Nebraska prediction and college basketball picks for March 8, 2026.
Iowa vs Nebraska Prediction
My Pick: Nebraska -5.5 (Play to -6.5)
My Iowa vs Nebraska best bet is on the Cornhuskers to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Iowa vs. Nebraska Odds
| Iowa Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -110 | 134 -110o / -110u | +205 |
| Nebraska Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -110 | 134 -110o / -110u | -250 |
Iowa vs Nebraska Betting Preview
Iowa Basketball
Ben McCollum has done a very nice job in his first season in Iowa City after coming over from Drake.
He brought point guard Bennett Stirtz with him, and the step up in weight class to the Big Ten has been no problem for the savvy veteran.
Stirtz has been one of the best players in the entire conference and is a threat any time he has the ball in his hands, regardless of how far away he is from the basket.
Iowa has a quick turnaround in this game, having just hosted Michigan on Thursday night in Carver Hawkeye Arena.
The Hawkeyes played well in that game, pushing the Big Ten-leading Wolverines to the brink. However, they came up short in the final minutes.
This is a difficult ask after the emotional toll of that contest, as they now head to a raucous environment in Lincoln to face another top-10 team.
Iowa won the first matchup between these two, holding Nebraska to 52 points in one of its best defensive efforts on the season.
To get a second victory over its rival, Iowa will need to once again really bring it on the defensive end, and make some shots from deep itself.
Guys like Tavion Banks and Isaia Howard need to step up to take some of the pressure off Stirtz, who will certainly be the focal point of Fred Hoiberg's defensive gameplan.
The Hawkeyes will also need to really block out, as Nebraska goes to the offensive glass in bunches and makes you pay when it does secure offensive rebounds.
Nebraska Basketball
It's been a dream season for Hoiberg and the Cornhuskers, and they now have one final game and a chance to add a 26th regular-season win on Senior Day.
The Huskers are elite on the defensive side of the floor, ranking fifth nationally in Ken Pom's adjusted defensive efficiency metric.
That type of swarming and connected defense will be significant when facing a player of Stirtz's caliber.
The big fella — Rienk Mast — has had an unbelievable college career, and his senior campaign has been a total exclamation point.
Mast should be able to have his way on the interior in this one, both when he catches it on the block, as well as on the backboards.
In the loss to the Hawkeyes in the first meeting back in February, Nebraska committed 12 turnovers and made just five triples on 24 attempts.
I expect the Huskers to shoot much better from distance in their own building, and I also anticipate the backcourt to be cleaner with the ball in its hands.
Pryce Sandfort can score it in a bunch of different ways and could be in for a big day against his former team.
One other major factor in this game will be Nebraska's ability to guard the arc. So much of Iowa's offense comes from the 3-point shot, so if the Huskers can contest those shots and force Iowa into difficult attempts, they should be in a very good position in this game.
Iowa vs. Nebraska Betting Analysis
I like the Huskers to avenge their loss in Iowa City and close out a historic regular season in a big way on their home court.
The Pinnacle Bank Arena crowd will be rocking in this one, and I don't think the Hawkeyes have the offensive firepower outside of Stirtz to keep pace in this one.
Nebraska will come out of the gates firing, generating plenty of open looks from beyond the 3-point arc.
Iowa is well-coached and will try to slow it down, but the Huskers will eventually pull away.
Give me Nebraska to win and cover in Lincoln.
My Pick: Nebraska -5.5 (Play to -6.5)
