Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz (14) celebrates with teammates after an NCAA basketball game against Nebraska, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

JOHN BOHNENKAMP | Asspciated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — 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 on Tuesday night.

Iowa (19-7, 9-6 Big Ten) won despite not making a field goal over the final 4:59. The Hawkeyes were 7 of 28 from the field in the second half, including 3 for 13 on 3-pointers.

Nebraska (22-4, 11-4), which has lost four of six, wasn’t much better. The Cornhuskers went 9 of 23 from the field, including 2 for 12 on 3s, and missed eight of their last 11 shots, going through an 11 1/2-minute stretch with just one basket.

Stirtz scored 10 of Iowa’s final 14 points. His jumper with 5:38 left gave the Hawkeyes a 47-45 lead, then he added a step-back 3 only 40 seconds later.

Iowa was coming off back-to-back losses last week to Maryland and Purdue after a six-game winning streak.

Pryce Sandfort, making his first appearance at Iowa since transferring after last season, led the Cornhuskers with 13 points. Sandfort was booed and taunted by Iowa’s student section throughout the game, but hit two 3-pointers to become Nebraska’s single-season leader with 90.

Jamarques Lawrence added 11 points for Nebraska.

Iowa had a 37-24 rebounding advantage. Tavion Banks grabbed 10 boards.

Iowa used a 14-2 run late in the first half to take a 33-28 halftime lead. The Hawkeyes, who had a 19-6 rebounding edge in the half, built a 33-23 cushion with 58 seconds left before the Huskers scored the last five points, including Cale Jacobsen’s buzzer-beating 3.

Both teams had their struggles in the first half. They combined for 15 turnovers and 6-of-22 shooting from 3-point range.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH BEN MCCOLLUM
“First off, this is what it can be. You know, obviously, we’ve said it every single time we have a positive like this happen, we always make sure that everybody knows that this is what it can be. It can be this every night, it can be fun, like this. We appreciate, again, the crowd support, the energy. I think that willed us to victory. I really do. I thought it was awesome. I thought it was really cool that the students showed up, we appreciate that. We also appreciate, we had an alumni here, Aaron White. I think he’s going to come to every single game from here on out, make sure that we’re winning, he might be our good luck charm.

Nebraska is a really good basketball team. I thought they had a great game plan, particularly defensively. They are super physical and it was a good game. One thing, I do want to make sure that people understand, Payton and Pryce. Payton obviously played here four years, he’s a former player, he’s a Hawkeye. The Sandfort family means a lot to us, Pryce included. He left, obviously, but it was because of a coaching change, so it’s totally understandable. He played great, he’s having a great season, and the Sandfort family and all of them are very, very welcome here and certainly appreciate everything they’ve done.”

IOWA GAME NOTES

• The Hawkeyes recorded their 19th win, downing No. 9 Nebraska, 57-52, on Tuesday night inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the first ranked win of the Ben McCollum era.
  • The 57 points are Iowa’s fewest in a win since Iowa defeated Northern Iowa, 51-39, on Dec. 7, 2012.
  • The 52 points are the fewest points scored by an Iowa opponent in Big Ten play since they allowed 48 vs. Rutgers on Jan. 19, 2022.
• The win is Iowa’s first over a ranked opponent since beating No. 20 Wisconsin on Feb. 17, 2024.
  • It is Iowa’s first victory over a top 10 ranked foe since March 13, 2022 (No. 9 Purdue) and the program’s first win over a top 10 ranked opponent in Iowa City since downing No. 5 Michigan on Feb. 1, 2019.
  • The victory is Iowa’s 75th win all-time against a top 10 ranked opponent.  
• It is Iowa’s third Quad 1 win of the season, giving the team a combined eight Quad 1 & Quad 2 victories.
• Iowa had two players land in double figures: Bennett Stirtz (25), Cooper Koch (10)
  • Stirtz recorded his eighth 20-point game in his last nine contests, finishing with 25 points on 8-of-22 shooting to go along with two rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
  • It was his 15th 20-point game of the season (10th in Big Ten play).
  • He played all 40 minutes for the 10th time this season and the 50th time in his career. 
• Tavion Banks led all players with 10 rebounds.
  • The 10 rebounds tie a season high.
• The Hawkeyes held Nebraska to a season low 52 points – 27 below their season average.
  • Iowa has held all but one opponent under its season scoring average.
• Iowa dominated the rebounding battle, outrebounding the Huskers, 37-24.
  • It was the largest rebounding margin for Iowa in Big Ten play this season.
  • The Hawkeyes are 14-2 when winning the rebounding battle.  
• Iowa limited the Huskers to five 3-point field goals, tying a season low, and a .208 3-point percentage.
• The Hawkeyes went 17-of-18 from the free throw line.
  • Iowa is 15-0 when shooting more free throws than its opponent.
• The Hawkeyes improve to 13-2 inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena this season.
• Iowa used an 11-0 and 13-2 run over a 3:50 stretch to build a 30-21 lead with 1:35 left in first half to force a Nebraska timeout.
  • The Hawkeyes led by as many as 10 points (33-23) in the first half before Nebraska scored the final five points, including hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make the score 33-28 at the break.

Up Next

Nebraska hosts Penn State on Saturday.

Iowa visits Wisconsin on Sunday.