What a year this week has been. Since the Iowa Hawkeyes (23-12, 10-10) punched their ticket into the Sweet 16 against Nebraska (28-6, 15-5), it’s been a whirlwind. Going from decided underdogs in the Round of 32 to functional pick ‘ems was a whiplash I didn’t expect this time of year. Such is the value of taking down a one seed.
That isn’t to say it’s going to be an easy one. Neither of these teams put much distance between the two of them during their regular season meetings. KenPom has the only “run” a 14-2 one just before half which put Iowa up 10 in the Iowa City iteration. Nebraska stretch their lead to 11 a couple times in the second half of their home game but these teams are, all told, pretty even.
The stakes are clear: For Iowa, their first Elite 8 since 1987 while Nebraska is looking to punch their first ever ticket into the round. Fred Hoiberg is in just his second Sweet 16, which marks his furthest distance into this tournament. In Ben McCollum’s career, he’s reached this threshold 8 times at D-II but advanced only 4 times (all national championships).
Iowa Hawkeyes (23-12, 10-10) v Nebraska Cornhuskers (28-6, 15-5)
Today, 3/26, at 6:20 PM, TBS/truTV (Kevin Harlan, Robbie Hummel, Stan Van Gundy, Lauren Shehadi)
Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Hawkeye Radio Network | Westwood One
Live Stats (NCAA)
Stat Pack
Fred Hoiberg (112-113 at Nebraska, 227-169 overall)
KenPom ($): +27.15; 13th (119.2; 51st | 92.0; 6th)
BartTorvik: 15th (117.7; 59th | 93.2; 7th)
Sports-Ref:
PPG: 77.1 (146th) | 65.8 (15th)
RPG: 34.9 | 34.5
Leaders (via Sports-Ref)
PPG: Pryce Sandfort (17.9); Rienk Mast (13.5)
RPG: Mast (5.8, 2.2 off); Berke Buyutuncel (5.4, 1.8 off)
APG: Sam Hoiberg (4.4); Jamarques Lawrence (3.9)
FG% (min 10 MPG, 2 FGA/game): Hoiberg (54.5%), Cale Jacobsen (52.5%)
3P% (min 1 3PA/game): Sandfort (41.0%); Hoiberg (39.5%)
Last 5 games:
3/21: W v Vanderbilt (N): 74-72
3/19: W v Troy (N): 76-47
3/13: L v Purdue: 74-58
3/8: W v Iowa: 84-75 (OT)
3/3: L at UCLA: 72-52
