nebraska vs iowa: Bennett Stirtz’s late surge lifts Hawkeyes to 57-52 win
IOWA CITY, Feb. 17, 2026 (ET) — Bennett Stirtz scored 25 points and Cooper Koch added 10 as Iowa overcame a cold-shooting second half to defeat No. 9 Nebraska 57-52 Tuesday night, sending Hawkeyes fans onto the court after the final horn.
Stirtz delivers in crunch time
Stirtz carried Iowa down the stretch, scoring 10 of the Hawkeyes’ final 14 points. His jumper with 5: 38 remaining gave Iowa a 47-45 lead and he followed with a step-back 3 just 40 seconds later that pushed the margin and shifted momentum. The Cornhuskers missed eight of their last 11 attempts in the closing minutes, and Stirtz’s ability to create his own shot proved decisive in a low-scoring affair.
Defense, rebounds and a second-half stall
The game tightened after a first half in which Iowa rode a 14-2 run to a 33-28 halftime edge. Iowa built a 33-23 lead with 58 seconds left before Nebraska trimmed it with five straight points, capped by Cale Jacobsen’s buzzer-beating 3 to make it 33-28 at the break. Neither team shot well after intermission: Iowa went 7-for-28 in the second half, including 3-for-13 on 3-pointers, while Nebraska managed just 9-for-23 from the field and 2-for-12 from distance in the frame.
Rebounding proved a clear differentiator. Iowa owned a 37-24 advantage on the glass, with Tavion Banks collecting 10 rebounds for the Hawkeyes. That edge limited Nebraska second-chance opportunities and allowed Iowa to control the tempo in the final minutes despite its struggles finding the rim.
Key performances and implications
For Nebraska, Pryce Sandfort led the way with 13 points and drained two 3-pointers that pushed him to 90 on the season, setting a new single-season program mark. Jamarques Lawrence added 11 points, but the Cornhuskers went through an extended drought — an 11 1/2-minute stretch with just one basket — that Iowa’s defense exploited.
The win moves Iowa to 19-7 overall and 9-6 in conference play. It came after back-to-back losses and halted a recent skid, while Nebraska fell to 22-4 and has now lost four of six. The emotional aftermath in Iowa City—fans storming the court—underscored how much this border rivalry means to both programs and how a gritty defensive effort can overcome offensive lapses.
With both teams navigating the stretch run of the season, Wednesday’s results will offer more clarity on seeding and momentum. For Iowa, the victory validates a defensive identity and commitment to rebounding. For Nebraska, the challenge is snapping a slump in perimeter shooting and finding consistent production outside of the team’s top scorers.
