How to Watch No. 9 Nebraska Basketball vs. Iowa with Preview, Breakdown, TV Channel

On the very rare occasion in the 2025-2026 season, the No. 9 Nebraska men's basketball team didn't have what it took to win.

Playing in the second leg of a two-game road trip to the Big Ten's Los Angeles schools, the Huskers were not competitive in a 72-52 blowout defeat, marking the largest loss of the team's season. With a local tip-off time of 8 p.m. (10 p.m. back in Lincoln), Nebraska looked to be outmatched and outgunned, shooting just 38.8% from the field and 5-for-24 from beyond the arc. Sam Hoiberg scored a team-high 12 points while Rienk Mast and Cale Jacobson each added 11 to mark the lone three players to reach double figures.

While ugly, the loss does little to change the situation Nebraska finds itself in this season. Fueled by the frustration of its loss in Iowa City just a few weeks ago, the Huskers enter the regular-season finale against Iowa with plenty at stake. A win locks up a triple bye in the Big Ten Tournament and likely secures a No. 3 seed in the Big Dance, but another loss could drop NU to a No. 5 seed.

All in all, the position Nebraska is in reflects the luxury of such a historic season, and it could get even better by taking down its rival Sunday afternoon. Here’s all you need to know for tomorrow’s rivalry showdown in Lincoln.

How to Follow Along

Matchup: No. 9 Nebraska (25-5, 14-5 B1G) vs. Iowa (20-10, 10-9 B1G)
When: Sunday, March 8
Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Neb.
Time: 4 p.m. CDT
Watch: FOX
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Iowa Scout

Head Coach

Ben McCollum | 1st season at Iowa; 17th as HC
20-10 (.667) at Iowa; 446-105 (.809) Career Record
4x NCAA DII National Champion, 1x NCAA DI Tournament
1x MVC regular season & tournament, 12x MIAA regular season, 8x MIAA tournament
5x NABC DII Coach OTY, 3x Clarence Gaines Award, 8x MIAA Coach OTY, 1x MVC Coach OTY
Previous head coach at Drake and Northwest Missouri State (DII)
Previous assistant at Emporia State and Northwest Missouri State

2024-2025 Record & Awards

Record: 17-16 (7-13 B1G, T-12th)
Finish: Did not qualify for the postseason
All-B1G: 1x Honorable Mention

All-Time Series

Iowa leads 28-15
February 17, 2026, last matchup, 57-52 Iowa

Former Iowa brothers Pryce (24) and Payton Sandfort (20) both departed after last season, including Pryce to Nebraska. — Former Iowa brothers Pryce (24) and Payton Sandfort (20) both departed after last season, including Pryce's transfer to Nebraska. | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Key Returners

Cooper Koch | F | R-Fr. | One of two returners from last season, the Illinois native has cracked the starting lineup with 6.9 PPG after being put on a medical redshirt last season.
Jacob Koch | G | Soph. | Iowa City native who's rarely seen action in his first two seasons and was the only holdover after Iowa's coaching change from the offseason.

Key Departures

Payton Sandfort | F | Graduated | Veteran forward who led the Hawkeyes in scoring (16.7), leading to an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention award.
Owen Freeman | F | Transfer | Sophomore standout that matched Sandfort in scoring last season, but has collapsed after transferring to Creighton over the offseason.
Josh Dix | G | Transfer | The last of the trio that put up double-digit scoring for Iowa last season (14.4) and has fared better in Omaha after his transfer to Creighton alongside Freeman.
Drew Thelwell | G | Graduated | Graduate student transfer from Morehead State, who put up 9.5 points per game while starting in 20 of his 29 appearances.
Pryce Sandfort | F | Transfer | Younger brother of Payton, the 6-foot-7 forward is now one of the pillars for Nebraska's breakout 2025-2026 season.
Brock Harding | G | Transfer | Started in 24 of his 33 games last season while scoring 8.8 points per game, but transferred to TCU following the coaching change.
Seydou Traore | F | Another young sophomore that started in nearly half of his games last season; transferred to Utah after dropping in 5.9 points per game last year.
Ladji Dembele | F | Transfer | 6-foot-8 forward who added 4.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore before transferring to UNLV.
Even Brauns | F | Graduated | Depth piece that logged a few points per game in 26 games off the bench as part of his final season in college basketball.

Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz (14) is one of five players in the Big Ten to average more than 20 points. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

Bennett Stirtz | G | Sr. | Returning All-American who has followed McCollum from all of Northwest Missouri State, Drake, and now Iowa, where he leads the team in scoring (20.5), assists (134), and three-pointers made (76).
Tavion Banks | G/F | Sr. | Named last season's MVC Sixth Man of the Year and followed McCollum to Iowa City, where he's putting up 10.4 points per game.
Alvaro Folgueiras | F | Jr. | 6-foot-10 native of Spain who was named the Horizon League Player of the Year last season at Robert Morris, but has struggled some in the Big Ten with 8.3 points per game and just short of four rebounds.
Cam Manyawu | F | Jr. | A two-time transfer from Wyoming and Drake, the junior hasn't yet matched his production from last season with 6.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game as a starter.
Tate Sage | G | Fr. | 6-foot-7 Oklahoma native who scores six points per game as one of Iowa's best reserves.
Isaia Howard | G | Soph. | Played in 30 games as a freshman at Drake with McCollum before making his way to Iowa City, where he added 5.4 points per game.
Kael Combs | G | Jr. | After being a reserve at Drake for McCollum last year, the three-time transfer has scored 5.6 PPG while starting in 21 of his 25 appearances this season.

Outlook

A college basketball rivalry that's escalated more in recent years, Iowa got the better of Nebraska in the first meeting between the two schools as the Hawkeyes came out with a 57-52 win on their home floor and in front of a Black Out crowd. The Huskers responded to that loss with a 3-1 stretch heading into Sunday, with the UCLA blowout being the only blemish. It did not go the same for Iowa.

The Hawkeyes are just 1-3 since taking down the Cornhuskers on Feb. 17, dropping an 84-71 game to No. 24 Wisconsin in their next outing. Iowa bounced back with a 74-57 win over Ohio State, but a lowly 71-69 loss to Big Ten basement dweller Penn State rocked the ship. The Hawkeyes were more competitive in a slim 71-68 loss to No. 3 Michigan, but Iowa's recent form of play puts them on the back foot heading into Sunday's regular season finale.

Iowa guard Tavion Banks (6) grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds in Iowa's 57-52 win earlier this year. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bennett Stirtz remains one of the best players in the country as he represents one of just five players in the Big Ten to average more than 20 points per game. His 1,114 total minutes played this season is over 300 more than the next closest player. Plus, his 37 minutes per game average sits 11 higher than second-place Cooper Koch with 26. Stirtz's 25 points led all players in the first game against Nebraska, while his 8-for-22 showing from the field nearly matched the rest of his teammates, who shot a combined 9-for-29.

Rebounding has improved significantly for the Huskers during this recent four-game stretch, and it will be key again against the Hawkeyes. Iowa powered its way to a win in the first meeting, outrebounding NU 37–24 in Iowa City while committing just five turnovers compared to Nebraska’s 10. Hitting more three-pointers would certainly help, but winning the battle inside will be paramount.

Home court can make a difference in matchups like this, and with the added motivation Nebraska carries into the game, I see the Huskers coming out on top on Senior Day in front of a packed house at Pinnacle Bank Arena.