Nebraska beats Iowa in overtime to end 4-game skid in rivalry

Lincoln, Neb. — Nebraska’s 84-75 overtime victory over Iowa on Sunday did more than tie the school record for wins in a season at 26; it exorcised four years of frustration in the rivalry and delivered the Huskers the No. 2 seed in this week’s Big Ten tournament.

Cale Jacobsen’s back-to-back three-pointers in the extra session broke ties at 70 and 75, igniting a sell-out Pinnacle Bank Arena crowd and ensuring that the best regular season in program history will carry a cherished footnote: the streak against Iowa is over.

“We didn’t trail in the final 36 minutes, 24 seconds, and yet nothing felt comfortable until the last 25 seconds,” coach Fred Hoiberg said. “To handle the emotions of the day says a lot about our team.”

The Huskers, already assured of an NCAA Tournament berth, spent the afternoon honoring five seniors—most notably Rienk Mast, who redshirted last season after knee surgery, and the coach’s son, Sam Hoiberg, whose popularity in Lincoln borders on cult status. Jamarques Lawrence, who left after the 2023-24 season, returned as a graduate leader and helped solidify a class former players view as the program’s great hope.

Sunday’s stakes, however, were shaped as much by history as by sentiment. Nebraska had dropped four straight to Iowa, including a 57-52 loss in Iowa City three weeks ago that featured a post-game skirmish involving Hoiberg and a Hawkeye fan. With Iowa also owning three consecutive football victories, the psychological edge belonged to the visitors until overtime.

Nebraska’s game plan centered on containing Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz, and while the defense largely succeeded, Cooper Koch torched the nets for five of his six threes after halftime. Kael Combs’ long-range bomb with three seconds left in regulation merely delayed the inevitable once Jacobsen found his rhythm in overtime.

Sam Hoiberg dribbled out the final ticks before clutching the ball—symbolically ending the regular season and a chapter of futility against the Hawkeyes.

“This one is going to be hard to beat,” he said.

The Huskers will try anyway beginning next week, when the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory—its stated obsession since a 20-0 start vaulted the team into the national top 10—becomes the only remaining milestone.