CBS Sports gives early Sweet 16 pick, prediction for Iowa vs. Nebraska
Ahead of the Sweet 16 matchup between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Nebraska Cornhuskers, CBS Sports made a prediction and pick for the game.
With the dust settling from the Iowa Hawkeyes' exhilarating win over the Florida Gators on the shoulders of Alvaro Folgueiras, hitting a late three-point shot , the page has to quickly turn to the Sweet 16. Iowa is making its first trip back since 1999, and the matchup couldn't get any more fun. In Houston, the Iowa Hawkeyes will meet up with the Nebraska Cornhuskers for the third time this year, with a trip to the Elite 8 up for grabs.
With tip-off rapidly approaching, CBS Sports dove into the matchup and gave an early prediction and pick. These teams have played twice. Iowa won at home in a 57-52 rockfight.
Nebraska returned the favor by winning at home, 84-75 in overtime, in another to-the-death brawl. There are no secrets in the rubber match. Nebraska's no-middle defense has given Iowa real problems both times.
The Hawkeyes turned it over 20% of the time in Game 1 and 26% of the time in Game 2. That can't happen in Round 3. Iowa has the best player on the floor in Bennett Stirtz and can hurt Nebraska on the glass, but the Huskers get the nod because of this pick-and-roll defense.