Nebraska men’s basketball travels to Iowa for a homecoming, and possibly record breaking night, for Pryce Sandfort
By Aaron Bonderson 
, Reporter/Producer Nebraska Public Media
Feb. 16, 2026, 11:29 a.m. ·
Nebraska men’s basketball travels east to face bitter border rival Iowa on Tuesday night. The No. 9 Huskers and unranked Hawkeyes bring in the top defenses in the conference, each allowing 66 points or fewer per contest.
Iowa has lost two consecutive games, including a road loss to Maryland and a home loss to Purdue. Still, the Hawkeyes enter Tuesday’s game at 18-7 overall and 8-6 in conference action. The Huskers are 22-3 on the year with an 11-3 conference mark. The Cornhuskers dropped two spots to No. 9 in the Associated Press top 25 poll on Monday.
On Saturday, the Big Red turned the ball over 18 times in a win against Northwestern. Iowa leads the Big Ten conference in turnovers forced per game at 13.6. NU head coach Fred Hoiberg said his team will have to clean up the mistakes to get out of Iowa City with a win.
“You have to do a great job of not giving them extra opportunities,” Hoiberg said. “They do a really good job of pressuring you. They'll get out in passing lanes.”
The seventh-year coach was pleased with Nebraska’s rebounding effort against Northwestern, which had been an issue in losses this season.
Tuesday will also mark a homecoming for the Huskers’ leading scorer, Pryce Sandfort. The junior grew up in Waukee, which is a suburb of Des Moines. He played for the Hawkeyes the last two seasons before transferring to Lincoln. His coach said emotions will be high, but he isn’t worried about Sandfort’s focus on the hardwood.
“I'm sure a lot of things will be going through his mind, but once that ball goes up, all that stuff will go out the window,” Hoiberg said. “And it's all about going out and doing the things that have made him one of the top players in our league to this point in the season.”
Sandfort is averaging more than 17 points per game this year and leads the conference in three-pointers made per game at 3.5.
If those averages hold up Tuesday, a school record will be broken. Sandfort is two three-pointers away from breaking the school record for makes in a season, currently sitting at 88. Cary Cochran made 89 from behind the arc in 2001-02, according to Nebraska Athletics.
The rival Big Ten schools will tip off at 8 p.m. CT at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. The Big Ten Network will televise the game.