Iowa Fans Expect Hawkeyes to Advance to Elite Eight

As fate would have it, Iowa is facing off with our neighbors to the west with the Nebraska Cornhuskers doubling down on their first ever NCAA Tournament win with their first trip to the Sweet 16 in program history. This is a matchup of two teams who are familiar with each other after Iowa and Nebraska squared off twice in the regular season. The Hawkeyes took home the W in the first meeting in Iowa City, playing exactly the way they want to.

It was a 57-52 slug fest and Iowa’s best win of the regular season. In the rematch over in Lincoln, the Huskers sped things up and got up by as many as 11 before the Hawkeyes clawed their way back to force overtime, ultimately falling 84-75. Now it’s time for the rubber match in what is arguably the biggest basketball game ever played between these two programs.

So, how are we feeling about things heading into the night? Iowa Fans Are Believers After knocking off defending national champion Florida on a buzzer-beating three from Alvaro Folgueiras, Iowa fans are riding an emotional tidal wave into Thursday night’s Sweet 16 matchup against Nebraska. And this week’s poll results reflect that energy: 77% of Iowa fans believe the Hawkeyes will beat Nebraska and advance to the Elite Eight.

Is it blind optimism? Perhaps the feeling of just playing with house money? Or maybe this is a fanbase that has liked what they’ve seen in this matchup the first two times and feels like the attention to detail on the glass and revived defensive energy in the NCAA Tournament means this is a group of Hawkeyes that can simply get it done.