Nebrasketball: No. 25 Iowa Hawkeyes Game 2 Preview

The Nebraska Cornhuskers host No. 25 Iowa Hawkeyes tomorrow night for senior night in in Lincoln. The game marks the second meeting between the two programs this season after the Huskers fell 98-75 in Iowa City on Feb. 13.

Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Nebraska enters senior night at 7-20 overall, 1-15 in the Big Ten. Last time out, freshman Bryce McGowens became the all-time freshman scoring leader in Nebraska history while NU swept the Huskers.

No. 25 Iowa is coming off a trouncing of Michigan State and is riding a two-game win streak that includes a rescheduled road trip win at then No. 18 Ohio State while also having won five of the last six games. The Hawkeyes sit at 19-8 overall and are 9-7 in Big Ten action including the prior win over the Huskers just under two weeks ago.

Despite losing 2021 National Player of the Year Luka Garza and fellow NBA draftee Joe Wieskamp, Fran McCaffery’s squad once again features one of the Big Ten’s highest scoring attacks (even if the defense is it’s usual lackluster self). The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten in scoring (83.6 points per game), turnover margin (+5.6), and steals (7.6 steals per game). Iowa also ranks second in assists (16.2 assists per game) and fewest turnovers (8.8 per game).

Sophomore Keegan Murray has been the breakout star on Iowa’s roster this season, averaging 23.5 points per game. He is one of four Hawkeyes averaging double figures and leads the Big Ten with 56 percent shooting from the field. The 6-foot-8 forward also ranks among conference leaders in both rebounding (8.1 rebounds per game, good for sixth) and blocked shots (2.0 blocks per game, fourth in the Big Ten). Patrick McCaffery adds 10.8 points per game while Jordan Bohannon is at 10.7 points per game and leads the team with 66 three-pointers on the season. Kris Murray is the final Hawkeye averaging double figures, adding 10.1 points per game while shooting over 40 percent from three-point range.

Friday night’s matchup marks the 37th meeting all-time between the conference foes. The series is the third-oldest in Nebraska history among Big Ten members. The series dates back to 1907, but the programs had not faced off since 1976 until UNL joined the Big Ten in 2011. Since joining the league, the Huskers have gone 6-11 but the home team has won the last 10 meetings in the series dating back to 2016.

When: Friday, Feb. 25 at 8:00 p.m. CST/9:00 p.m. EST
Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,000) - Lincoln, Nebraska

TV: FS1
Streaming: https://www.foxsports.com/live/FOXSportsApp
Announcers: Kevin Kugler (play-by-play), Robbie Hummel (analyst)

Radio: Huskers Radio Network
Play-by-play: Bob Brainerd
Analyst: Jess Settles

Broadcast Stations: KLIN (1400 AM) in Lincoln, KKCD (105.9 FM) in Omaha, KHYY (106.9 FM) in Scottsbluff, and KAMI (1580 AM) in Lexington
Also available on Huskers.com and the Huskers app.

Line: Iowa -11.5

Iowa Hawkeyes

2021-22 Record: 19-8 (9-7 Big Ten)
Head Coach: Fran McCaffery
Record at Iowa: 235-160 (12th year)
Career Record: 486-337 (24th year)

Nebraska

2021-22 Record: 7-20 (1-15 Big Ten)
Head Coach: Fred Hoiberg
Record at Nebraska: 21-65 (3rd year)
Career Record: 136-121 (8th year)

Head-to-Head

All-Time: Iowa leads 23-13
Big Ten action: 6-11
In Lincoln: Nebraska is 11-5 all-time