Nebraska vs Iowa Prediction 2/17/2026 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Iowa Hawkeyes will meet on Tuesday night in a Big Ten matchup at Carver‑Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.

Nebraska Cornhuskers Betting Preview

The Nebraska Cornhuskers enter Tuesday night’s matchup with a 22–3 overall win-loss record, including an 11–3 mark in conference play and a 13-2 record at home. The Cornhuskers have compiled wins over Rutgers, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Illinois, Northwestern and the Pittsburgh Panthers, while dropping games to Illinois and the Michigan Wolverines.

Earlier this season, in the Nebraska Cornhuskers 72-69 victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes, Cornhuskers forward Rienk Mast amassed 12 points (5 of 13 shooting from the field), 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block illustrating his ability to lead the Cornhuskers frontcourt.   

The Nebraska Cornhuskers average 79.4 points on 47.1 percent shooting from the field (53rd in country) and 36 percent shooting from beyond the arc per game. Defensively, the Cornhuskers are allowing opponents 66 points per contest which ranks 16th in the country.    

Senior forward Rienk Mast leads the Nebraska Cornhuskers averaging 14.7 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 0.5 steals per game. Junior forward Pryce Sandfort averages 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.1 steals per contest, while freshman forward Braden Frager provides frontcourt depth contributing 12.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1 assist per game.

Iowa Hawkeyes Betting Preview

The Iowa Hawkeyes enter Tuesday’s contest with an 18–7 record, including an 8-6 mark in conference play and a 13-2 record at home. The Hawkeyes have amassed wins over Western Illinois, Southeast Missouri State, Mississippi, Grand Canyon, and Maryland, while losing to Michigan State, Maryland, Purdue and the UCLA Bruins.

In the Iowa Hawkeyes 83–64 win over the Maryland Terrapins earlier this season, Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz tallied 25 points on 10 of 17 from the field and 4 of 8 shooting from three-point range.

The Iowa Hawkeyes average 77 points on 50.1 percent shooting from the field (17th in country) and 36.8 percent shooting from three‑point range per game. Defensively, the Hawkeyes are allowing opponents 64.9 points per game which ranks ninth in the nation.

Senior guard Bennett Stirtz leads the Iowa Hawkeyes averaging 20.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Freshman forward Cooper Koch adds 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per contest, while senior guard Tavion Banks averages 10.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1 steal per game.

Why the Nebraska Cornhuskers will win

• Home court edge. The Nebraska Cornhuskers have compiled a 13-2 record at home this season.

• Elite defense. Defensively, the Cornhuskers are allowing opponents 66 points which ranks 16th in the country.      

• Balanced scoring. Rienk Mast, Pryce Sandfort, and Braden Frager are averaging over 12 points per game.

• Frontcourt play. Senior forward Rienk Mast leads the Nebraska Cornhuskers averaging 14.7 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 0.5 steals per game.

Why the Iowa Hawkeyes will win

 • Quality guard play. Senior guard Bennett Stirtz leads the Iowa Hawkeyes in the scoring department averaging 20.4 points per game.

• Efficient shooting. The Iowa Hawkeyes average 77 points on 50.1 percent shooting from the field (17th in country) per game.

• Defensive consistency. The Hawkeyes allow opponents 64.9 points per game which ranks 9th in the nation.

Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes Prediction

In my view, this matchup looks to be a low scoring defensive battle. Why do I say that? Nebraska allows just 66 points per game and has limited three of the team’s last four opponents to under 70 points per contest. Iowa’s defense has also been elite giving up only 64.9 points per contest. With both teams trending defensively, I think the total is the way to go in this one rather than a side. With that said, I am backing under 139.5 points in this matchup.

Hans Geevers's Pick: Under 139.5