The 2021-22 college basketball season goes on Sunday, February 13, with the Big Ten Conference showdown at Carver-Hawkeye Center in Iowa City, so we have prepared the best Nebraska vs. Iowa betting pick and odds.  

The Cornhuskers meet the Hawkeyes for the first time this season. Nebraska is winless in two straight encounters with Iowa, and according to Bookmaker Sportsbook, the Cornhuskers are huge road underdogs this time around.   

Nebraska beat Minnesota to stop its horrible slide      

The Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-17; 1-12 Conf.) put an end to their ten-game losing streak with a 78-65 victory to the Minnesota Golden Gophers this past Wednesday. Playing as 1-point home underdogs, the Cornhuskers recorded their first conference win of the season, but they still sit bottom of the Big Ten standings.

Nebraska dominated Minnesota from start to finish, building an 11-point halftime lead. The Cornhuskers made 48.3% of their field goals and 38.9% of their 3-pointers. They also forced 18 turnovers and recorded 12 steals. Senior guard Alonzo Verge led the way with 22 points, four assists, and three steals, while freshman G Bryce McGowens added 16 points and four rebounds.

The Cornhuskers score 101.6 points per 100 possessions (196th in the country) on 43.4% shooting from the field (223rd) and 30.9% from beyond the arc (315th). They are No. 177 in the latest NCAA NET Rankings and No. 170 in the KenPom rankings.

Iowa routed Maryland for its second straight win    

The Iowa Hawkeyes (16-7; 6-6 Conf.) are coming off a 110-87 thrashing of the Maryland Terrapins this past Thursday. It was their second win in a row and third in their last five outings, as the Hawkeyes put an end to a three-game ATS losing streak.

Iowa hammered Maryland as a 3.5-point road fave. The Hawkeyes went bonkers, making 60.0% of their field goals and 55.9% of their 3-pointers. Sophomore forward Keegan Murray and senior guard Jordan Bohannon led the charge with 30 points apiece, and Bohannon went 10-for-16 from beyond the 3-point line.

The Hawkeyes tally 119.2 points per 100 possessions (4th in the nation) on 46.0% shooting from the field (79th) and 35.2% from downtown (116th). They are No. 19 in the NCAA NET Rankings and No. 17 in the KenPom rankings.

Trends:

Nebraska:

  • N/A

Iowa:

  • 7-4 ATS in the last 11 outings as favorites
  • 11-4 ATS in the last 15 games played on Sunday

Nebraska vs. Iowa Pick

The Cornhuskers have won only two of their previous 17 games overall, but they’ve been covering at a steady pace, going 9-3 ATS over their previous 12 outings and 7-1 ATS in their last eight showings at home. Hereof, Nebraska is certainly capable of beating the line in this one, but I’m backing the Hawkeyes to cover, as this should be a favorable matchup for the visiting team.

Both Nebraska and Iowa have struggled to defend well in 2021-22. The Cornhuskers allow 101.7 points per 100 possessions (157th in the nation), while the Hawkeyes surrender 99.8 (110th). Also, both teams love to play at a fast pace, so the Cornhuskers could easily struggle to cope with Keegan Murray and his teammates.

Pick: Take Iowa               

The Total:

The over is 7-1-1 in the last nine meetings between Nebraska and Iowa. As I’ve already mentioned, they love to push the ball in transition, so riding that H2H betting trend makes sense. Nebraska plays at the ninth-fastest pace in the country, averaging 72.5 possessions per 40 minutes, while Iowa registers 70.2 (56th in the country).

Eight of Nebraska’s last 12 home contests have gone over the total. The over is 8-3 in Iowa’s previous 11 games overall, so give me the over on the totals.

Pick: Go over