3-Point Barrage Fuels Iowa's Sweet 16 Victory Over Nebraska

Everything was hanging in the balance with 2:50 left in the Iowa Hawkeyes’ Sweet 16 matchup with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The game was tied at 65. Both teams, which had lit it up from beyond the arc for the majority of the contest, had gone somewhat cold over the last two minutes of game action.

With a trip to the Elite Eight on the line, everyone in the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, was watching with bated breath. How could they not? This was arguably the largest basketball event in the history of the two programs.

For Iowa, it was the first time the team had made it this far in the NCAA tournament since 1999. Nebraska, on the other hand, hadn’t even won a tournament game until last week. It was only fair that it came down to the wire.

YOU CAN’T GIVE BENNETT STIRTZ THAT MUCH SPACE

IOWA LEADS

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— Mostly Hoops With Mark Titus & Co. (@MostlyHoopsShow) March 27, 2026

And then everything changed for good. Bennett Stirtz, Iowa’s scoring star who has uplifted it throughout the entire season, connected on a 28-foot 3-point jumper with 2:10 remaining in the second half to give the Hawkeyes a 68-65 lead. It was Iowa’s first lead of the game, something it would hold for the remainder of the contest.

From that point on, Nebraska seemingly couldn’t find the bottom of the basket, while everything was going in for Iowa. Tate Sage joined in on the 3-point party on the next possession, while Alvaro Folgueiras contributed two crucial dunks to put it away for good. It was perhaps the most beautiful two minutes of basketball Iowa has played all season, and it came at the exact right time.

Iowa Catches Fire Late to Seize Control

Mar 26, 2026; Houston, TX, USA;Iowa Hawkeyes guard Bennett Stirtz (14) reacts after beating the Nebraska Cornhuskers during a Sweet Sixteen game of the South Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Overall, the Hawkeyes finished the 77-71 win over Nebraska on a 15-6 run. Much of that was due to the 3-pointer, which both Iowa and the Cornhuskers dabbled in throughout the majority of the evening. Both sides made a whopping 13 shots apiece from deep, but it was Iowa that made the critical buckets late to win the game.

But some threes that occurred earlier had just as big an impact as the ones that were made late. In the waning seconds of the first half, with Iowa down 46-40, Stirtz quickly dribbled up the court after collecting an inbounds pass with four seconds to go.

He successfully sent away a bounce pass to Sage, who then clanged it home from 25 feet away to make it a 3-point contest at halftime. Those three points were absolutely massive in Iowa picking up this victory. It swung the momentum the Hawkeyes’ way heading into the break, giving them the confidence that they could pull this off in the end.

That confidence ultimately enabled Iowa to shoot 43% from three throughout the entirety of the game. It's hard to imagine Iowa claiming victory over Nebraska had it not made every single one of its 13 3-pointers throughout the duration of the night.

Can the Hawkeyes Make the Final Four?

The Elite Eight is calling now for Iowa. A bout with the Illinois Fighting Illini, another Big Ten foe, is on deck. Can the team continue to shoot the lights out? If so, will that be enough to take down Keaton Wagler and Illinois in what is the most consequential Iowa men’s basketball game this century? We’ll all find out on March 28.

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