iowa vs nebraska: Huskers Shoot for Split with No. 15 Hawkeyes
The Nebraska women’s basketball team returns home on Presidents’ Day to face a top-15 Iowa squad, hoping to even the season series after a Jan. 1 loss. Tip-off is Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, at 12 p. m. ET at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, and the game carries distinct postseason implications for both teams.
Nebraska chasing momentum and February wins
Nebraska (16-9, 5-9 Big Ten) walks into the matinee searching for its first February victory. The Huskers have opened the month 0-4, including a recent 84-67 loss at a top-10 Minnesota squad. Those setbacks have put pressure on head-coaching staff and players alike as the program attempts to hold on to an at-large tournament profile.
Britt Prince has been Nebraska’s offensive engine. The sophomore guard leads the team at roughly 17. 4 points per game and erupted for a game-high 27 in the first meeting with Iowa. Forward Amiah Hargrove, the team’s second-leading scorer at about 12. 6 points per game, missed the January matchup while in concussion protocol and remains a pivotal figure for the Huskers when available. Nebraska’s roster also lists Jessica Petrie (11. 5 ppg) and freshman contributors off the bench who can swing minutes and rebounding chores.
What Nebraska needs Monday is a full 40-minute performance: earlier this season the two teams were tied at 70 with 5: 30 to play before Iowa put together a decisive late run. The Huskers will try to avoid a repeat of that fourth-quarter lapse, leaning on Prince’s scoring and interior work from the front line to control the glass and manage tempo.
Iowa’s depth, defense and lineup adjustments
Iowa (19-6, 10-3 Big Ten) arrives as a top-15 team with NCAA Tournament positioning in view. The Hawkeyes have trended through peaks and valleys in conference play but showed resilience in a 65-56 home win over a ranked opponent in mid-February. Chit-Chat Wright and Hannah Stuelke remain central to Iowa’s attack; Wright’s scoring and Stuelke’s ability to produce double-doubles give the Hawkeyes balance inside and out.
One X-factor for Iowa this time is the return of a veteran guard who missed the first meeting with an ankle injury. Her presence adds defensive consistency and perimeter pressure that Iowa lacked in January, when Nebraska’s Prince had a late scoring surge. Iowa’s rotation has also seen lineup tweaks: a sophomore wing stepped into a starting role in the most recent game and delivered key minutes, suggesting the Hawkeyes are searching for defensive sparks and bench production after injuries disrupted their depth earlier in the year.
While Iowa suffered a recent nonconference loss to a ranked opponent, the team has shown the capacity to refocus and grind out important road and home wins. Expect the Hawkeyes to prioritize defensive stops late and make Iowa’s methodical offense dictate the pace.
Matchups and what to watch
The marquee individual matchup remains Britt Prince versus Iowa’s perimeter defenders. Prince has averaged about 18 points in her career matchups with the Hawkeyes and is capable of forcing a shootout. How Iowa limits her touches in the final quarter will likely decide the outcome.
Inside, the battle between Nebraska’s frontcourt rebounders and Stuelke is another hinge point. Nebraska must secure defensive rebounds to limit Iowa second-chance points and push the tempo. Turnovers, late-game execution and which team holds its composure in the finishing stretch will determine who walks away with a Quad 1 result and a boost to their postseason résumé.
Both programs bring clear motivations: the Huskers need a statement to rekindle their at-large hopes, while the Hawkeyes are protecting upward mobility in seed discussions. Expect a tense, physical matinee that could come down to a final possession.
