VAMOS: HAWKS BEAT NEBRASKA TO GO TO ELITE 8

Mar 26, 2026; Houston, TX, USA;Iowa Hawkeyes guard Bennett Stirtz (14) dribbles the ball against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the South Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images The Iowa Hawkeyes (24-12) are heading to the Elite 8 after a 9-0 run with under 5:00 left to get their first lead of the game and keep it against the rival Nebraska Cornhuskers, winning 77-71. It’s the first time they’ve made the Elite 8 since the 1987 team in Tom Davis’ first season.

They’re also the lowest ranked Big Ten team to advance this far. Alvaro Folgueiras had the dramatic game winner against Florida but he saved his best stretch of the game for the final 5 minutes. His 3 tied it up at 65-65, scrapped on the boards, and then took advantage of only 4 Huskers on the court to throw down a breakaway dunk after Nebraska cut Iowa’s lead to 3.

He finished with 16 points on 6/7 shooting. The game did not have the same feeling as Iowa’s prior upset over Florida, with the Huskers hyper-focused on getting the early lead. For the first 5-plus minutes, Iowa didn’t get a rebound offensive or defensive as Nebraska amassed a 10-point lead.

The Hawks never lost contact, with Stirtz scoring 5 straight points and Folgueiras hitting his first the of the game to close the gap to 16-14. It was a back-and-fort half as Nebraska continued to accordion their lead to 10 points multiple times but Iowa continued to hit enough shots to keep it on the rails. Most notably, Tate Sage had the best game of his young career with 3 first half 3s.