🏀 Iowa vs. Nebraska Prediction & Odds: College Basketball Picks Today (March 8)

The Big Ten regular season comes to a close at Pinnacle Bank Arena for a 5 p.m. tip between Iowa and No. 9 Nebraska (FOX). The Cornhuskers are the 6.5-point betting favorite and are looking to avenge a 57-52 road loss to Iowa on Feb. 17 and salvage a season split  

My Iowa vs. Nebraska prediction expects the Hawkeyes to stay close in this matchup after taking No. 3 Michigan down to the wire earlier this week. My top player prop bet focuses on Nebraska's Rienk Mast in what should be an emotional environment for him on Senior Day.

If you want more on today's college basketball slate, see Rob Paul's conference tournament guide and my college basketball predictions.

🏀 Iowa vs. Nebraska picks & odds today: March 8

See all of our experts' college basketball picks based on the latest college basketball odds; picks rated on a 1-to-5 star confidence scale based on betting value.

Total wagered: 3.0 units | Max profit: 2.84 units

💰 Iowa vs. Nebraska prediction & best bet

Iowa +6.5 (-102)

Nebraska has a gaudy top-9 AP ranking, but the metrics say otherwise. Since its first loss to Michigan on Jan. 27, the Cornhuskers have played like the 29th-best team in the country (per Bart Torvik), while Iowa is close at 42nd.

While backing Iowa as underdogs, I am relying on big 3-point regression in its favor. Over the last 10 games, Nebraska has made 3-pointers at a 7.4% higher clip than its opponents, while Iowa is minus-8% in that regard. But that span includes the Hawkeyes making one more 3-pointer on one fewer attempt in the first head-to-head meeting.

Score prediction: Nebraska 70, Iowa 66

🔥 Best Iowa vs. Nebraska player prop bet

Rienk Mast Over 12.5 points (-105)

Rienk Mast scored just eight points in the road loss at Iowa, and was held without a free throw attempt for just the sixth time in Big Ten play. But I expect that to change while getting the benefit of the home whistle in this rematch, facing an Iowa team with limited rim protection. The Hawkeyes also allow the league's highest free throw rate (41.1%).

Mast has scored 11 or more points in each of the last three games, while overcoming a 2-for-7 shooting slump from 3-point range in that span. He shouldn't need to bomb away from the perimeter much in this matchup when facing a Hawkeyes defense that ranks 14th in league play in 2-point percentage allowed.

🚀 Iowa vs. Nebraska same-game parlay

My Iowa vs. Nebraska same-game parlay is predicated on a high-scoring affair, with Iowa needing to do its part in the scoring (its team total O/U is 63.5). It also buys low on Nebraska's offense, which scored 52 points in the first meeting against Iowa, and is coming off a 52-point effort against UCLA in another road game.

💡 How I'm betting Iowa vs. Nebraska

Follow all of our college basketball analysis and expert predictions this season.

My betting approach to the Iowa vs. Nebraska matchup is heavily contrarian nature, especially with the top play being a wager on the Hawkeyes despite them losing three straight road games (two of which came against the worst teams in the Big Ten).

All of the wagers are one-unit plays, with trends supporting two of them in that Iowa is 7-3 ATS and the Over has cashed in seven of the last 10 matchups between these teams. The Hawkeyes are also 7-2 ATS after a loss this season.

📊 Live Iowa vs. Nebraska odds

After opening at -5 or -5.5 across all of our best March Madness betting sites, Nebraska steamed up to -6.5 despite receiving just 59% of the betting action.

The first move on the total was also toward the Under at most of our best sports betting sites, but sharp action has driven the number up as high as two points from those that started with an opening number of 131.5. Fifty-eight percent of the early wagers on Saturday night backed the Over.

📈 Iowa vs. Nebraska betting trends

📺 How to watch Iowa vs. Nebraska

• Date: Sunday, March 8
• Tipoff: 5 p.m. ET
• Location: Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, Neb.)
• TV: FOX