The NCAA Tournament began with 64 teams, but only 16 remain. Eight teams will be in action for Thursday, March 26's four-game slate, including a matchup between the No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes (22-12) and the No. 4 Nebraska Cornhuskers (28-6) at 7:30 p.m. ET on TBS and truTV.
As 2.5-point favorites on PrizePicks Team Picks, Nebraska enters this game as the favorite to advance to the regional finals in the South region. Will the Hawkeyes pull off their second straight upset to spoil Nebraska’s dream season?
Who could have the advantage in our Iowa vs. Nebraska prediction on the spread? Make your college basketball picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money if you’re right, including on game winners, spreads, and totals!
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Iowa vs. Nebraska Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
After grabbing 247 Sports' third-best player in the transfer portal in G Bennett Stirtz, there were lofty expectations for Iowa this season. They went just 23-12 overall and 10-10 in conference play, but that's in the rearview mirror with the Hawkeyes in the Round of 16 for the first time since 1999.
Iowa is coming off a massive 73-72 win over No. 1 seed Florida. It went down to the dwindling seconds, with Iowa F Alvaro Folguerias draining a game-winning 3-pointer.
Beginning the season unranked in the AP Top 25 Poll, Nebraska smashed preseason expectations by earning a No. 4 seed for the NCAA Tournament.
The Cornhuskers won their first-ever NCAA Tournament game in the first round vs. No. 13 Troy. Apart of the dominant 76-47 win, the Nebraska fanbase swarmed Oklahoma City, creating a home atmosphere. If Husker fans continue to travel at this level, Nebraska could be even tougher to take down.
This team's succeeded with a blend of defense and 3-point shooting. The Cornhuskers' top five players in minutes all shoot at least 32.4% from deep, while four of them shoot above 34.8%. They couple this shooting with elite defense, ranking seventh in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to Bart Torvik.
Iowa vs. Nebraska Spread, Over/Under
The Cornhuskers enter Thursday’s game as 2.5-point favorites, returning a 1.78x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.
The Hawkeyes are the underdogs with a 2.08x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
- Spread: Nebraska Cornhuskers -2.5 (2.08x payout)
- Over/Under: 131.5 (1.85x payout on over)
- Game Winner Payout: Iowa 2.04x | Nebraska 1.78x
Team Picks data is live as of writing and is subject to change.
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Iowa vs. Nebraska Prediction on Spread for NCAA Tournament – 3/26/26
Here are the key stats to know before locking in your Iowa vs. Nebraska prediction on the spread for Thursday, March 26, on PrizePicks.
- Nebraska finished the regular season 17-14-1 (54.8%) against the spread (ATS), the fourth-best ATS record in the Big Ten.
- According to KenPom, there is a 3.76 point difference in net rating between these two teams, with Nebraska at +27.15 and Iowa at +23.39.
- Nebraska is ranked 20th nationally in 2-point field goal percentage (58.1%).
- Iowa’s defense allows a 54.1% mark from 2-point range, sitting 279th nationally.
- The Hawkeyes score plenty of points from forced turnovers by ranking 15th in defensive turnover percentage at 20.5%.
- That advantage could be neutralized due to Nebraska's 14.4% turnover rate (37th).
- Based on what we’ve seen from Nebraska fans this tournament, this could feel like a home game for the Huskers, and the Hawkeyes are 5-6-0 (45.5%) ATS on the road.
Make Iowa vs. Nebraska Picks on PrizePicks
Will Nebraska continue its surprise season by dancing into the Round of 8? Or will Iowa continue its exceptional play and pull off yet another classic NCAA Tournament upset?
You can make your Iowa vs. Nebraska picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.
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