NCAA BASKETBALL: Big Ten's Nebraska, Iowa play again, with South Region final on line

HOUSTON — Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg knows all too well what to expect from Iowa as the Cornhuskers prepare for their third matchup against the Hawkeyes this season. The fourth-seeded Cornhuskers (28-6) have already faced Iowa twice in the Big Ten, splitting the pair, and now must contend with a team that has thrived in the NCAA Tournament by controlling pace and tempo.

For ninth-seeded Iowa (23-12), the key to success lies in imposing their style of play. The Hawkeyes advanced to the South Region semifinals by defeating Clemson and Florida, building double-digit leads and maintaining control throughout. Nebraska is familiar with this approach and will need to limit Iowa’s strengths if they hope to move on.

“When you look at the two games we played earlier this year — Iowa controlled pace and tempo very well,” Hoiberg said. “They did the same thing against Clemson and Florida, and they do as good a job as anybody.”

The Cornhuskers and Hawkeyes split their regular-season Big Ten games. Iowa won 57-52 at home on Feb. 17, while Nebraska claimed an 84-75 overtime victory three weeks later in Lincoln. With little secrecy between the teams, execution of new strategies could be the deciding factor in Thursday’s rubber match.

“We’ve opened the entire playbook,” Nebraska forward Rienk Mast said. “Throughout the season, we’ve added new sets and adjusted based on scouting. Having a lot of guys with high basketball IQ definitely helps us run a variety of sets.”

Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz, an AP All-America honorable mention, played a central role in the first meeting, scoring 25 points, including 10 of the team’s final 14. He acknowledges that his influence goes beyond scoring.

“They did a great job, and I wasn’t on my A game,” Stirtz said. “But it’s not a big worry. Even if attention is on me, other teammates like Cam Manyawu or Kael Combs will get opportunities. I just want to get everyone involved and score when needed.”

The South Region semifinals feature three Big Ten teams. The winner of Iowa vs. Nebraska could face third-seeded Illinois, which plays second-seeded Houston, for a Final Four spot. For Iowa, the season-long grind of facing strong Big Ten opponents has prepared them for these high-stakes matchups.

“I think the night-in, night-out grind prepared us,” Iowa coach Ben McCollum said. “Getting exposed sometimes sharpened us and got us ready for the postseason.”

—MK Bower, Field Level Media/Reuters