No. 9 Nebraska beats Iowa 84-75 in overtime after blowing late lead

Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz, left, and Cam Manyawu dive for a loose ball against Nebraska’s Pryce Sandfort (21) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, March 8, 2026, lin Lincoln, Neb. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)

ERIC OLSON | Associated Press

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Cale Jacobsen came off the bench to score 13 of his 15 points after halftime and hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer in overtime, and ninth-ranked Nebraska matched its program record for wins in a season with an 84-75 victory over Iowa on Sunday.

Sam Hoiberg, who scored 15 points and had five steals on his senior day, hugged teammate Pryce Sandfort near halfcourt as time ran out and then heaved the ball high into the stands. He and his father, coach Fred Hoiberg, embraced and a short time later the rest of the Huskers came out of the tunnel to salute the sellout crowd at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Nebraska (26-5, 15-5 Big Ten) led by 10 points with five minutes left in regulation but missed five of its next seven shots and a couple of late free throws to let the Hawkeyes back in it. Kael Combs scored Iowa’s last eight points of regulation, including a second-chance 3-pointer that tied it 70-all with 2.7 seconds left.

After Cooper Koch tied it at 75-all in overtime, Jacobsen made a 3 from the corner and the Huskers went on to score the final nine points. The Huskers beat Iowa (20-11, 10-10) for the first time in five meetings and split the season series.

Sandfort, who transferred from Iowa after last season, scored 15 points and Rienk Mast added 14 for the Huskers.

Combs and Koch had 18 points apiece for the Hawkeyes, who committed 19 turnovers.

HEAR FROM IOWA HEAD COACH BEN MCCOLLUM
“Congrats to Nebraska. I thought they played a heck of a game and had a great game plan. They were super physical with us and did a great job. I didn’t think we did a great job from an offensive standpoint; we just didn’t take care of the ball like we needed to. I was proud of our effort coming back, but close is not good enough. We need to continue to get better. It’ll be nice to have our backs against the wall in the conference tournament, and we’re excited to move forward.”

IOWA GAME NOTES

The Hawkeyes closed out the regular season with a 84-75 overtime loss at No. 9 Nebraska on Sunday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Iowa erased an 11-point second-half deficit and a 10-point deficit with five minutes to play before ultimately losing in overtime.
- The Hawkeyes trailed 64-54 with 5:13 to play before using a 16-6 run to tie the game at 70.
- Junior Kael Combs scored Iowa’s final eight points of regulation, including a 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds to play to tie the game at 70.
Nebraska outscored the Hawkeyes, 14-5, in overtime courtesy of two 3-pointers from reserve Cale Jacobsen.
It was Iowa’s first overtime game of the season and first since facing Nebraska on Jan. 7, 2025, in Iowa City.
Iowa finishes the regular season with a 20-11 overall and 10-10 Big Ten record, making them the No. 9 seed in next week’s Big Ten Tournament.
The loss snapped Iowa’s four-game winning streak over the Huskers.
Iowa is now 1-5 against top 10 ranked opponents this season, including 0-4 on the road.
The Hawkeyes had four players land in double figures: Cooper Koch (18), Kael Combs (18), Tavion Banks (12), Bennett Stirtz (11)
Combs netted a career-high 18 points, finishing 7-of-14 from the field and 2-of-5 from 3-point range. His seven field goals and 14 field goal attempts were career bests. He also had five rebounds and three assists.
- Combs scored seven of Iowa’s first nine points of the game and the team’s final eight points of regulation.
- It was his first game in double digits since Jan. 14 at Purdue.
Koch scored in double figures for the second time in three games (10th time this season), making 6-of-13 field goals – all from 3-point range. The six 3-pointers are a career-high.
- He has made 12 3-point field goals in Iowa’s last three contests and has four games with 3+ 3s this season.
- His 18 points tied a career high.
Banks had 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Nebraska turned a four-point halftime lead to double figures with a 10-4 run over the first four minutes of half two. Iowa fell behind by as many as 11 points twice in the second half and trailed 64-54 with 5:13 to play.
Iowa won the rebounding battle, 32-29. It is just the third time this season the team has lost when out-rebounding its opposition (15-3).
The Hawkeyes made 11 3-pointers – the seventh game with 10+ 3s (5-2 record).
Iowa committed 19 turnovers in the game – a season high.
Nebraska shot 50 percent from the field, made 10 3-pointers and had a 10-point advantage at the free throw stripe.
The Hawkeyes went on a nearly seven-minute field goal drought in the first half, where a three-point lead turned into a five-point deficit.
- Iowa trailed by four points (30-26) at the break despite committing 10 first-half turnovers.