Nebraska's Sandfort Aims to Break 3-Point Record in Iowa Homecoming

Huskers and Hawkeyes bring top defenses in Big Ten as Sandfort returns to home state

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Nebraska men's basketball travels to Iowa on Tuesday night for a Big Ten matchup between the conference's top defensive teams. The game will be a homecoming for Huskers' leading scorer Pryce Sandfort, who is two 3-pointers away from breaking the school's single-season record. Sandfort played for Iowa the last two seasons before transferring to Nebraska.

Why it matters

This game features two of the top teams in the Big Ten, with both squads boasting stifling defenses. The homecoming for Sandfort, who is having a breakout season, adds an extra layer of intrigue as he looks to etch his name in the Nebraska record books.

The details

Nebraska and Iowa each allow fewer than 66 points per game, ranking among the best defenses in the conference. The Huskers are 22-3 overall and 11-3 in Big Ten play, while the Hawkeyes have lost two straight but still sit at 18-7 and 8-6 in league action. Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg emphasized the need to limit turnovers against Iowa's pressure defense, which forces over 13 giveaways per game.

  • The game will tip off at 8 p.m. CT on Tuesday, February 16, 2026.
  • Sandfort is two 3-pointers away from breaking the Nebraska single-season record of 89 set by Cary Cochran in 2001-02.

The players

Pryce Sandfort

Nebraska's leading scorer, averaging over 17 points per game and a conference-best 3.5 3-pointers made per contest. Sandfort is a junior who played his first two seasons at Iowa before transferring to Nebraska.

Fred Hoiberg

Nebraska's seventh-year head coach, who emphasized the need for his team to limit turnovers against Iowa's pressure defense.

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What they’re saying

“You have to do a great job of not giving them extra opportunities. They do a really good job of pressuring you. They'll get out in passing lanes.”

— Fred Hoiberg, Head Coach, Nebraska (nebraskapublicmedia.org)

“I'm sure a lot of things will be going through his mind, but once that ball goes up, all that stuff will go out the window. And it's all about going out and doing the things that have made him one of the top players in our league to this point in the season.”

— Fred Hoiberg, Head Coach, Nebraska (nebraskapublicmedia.org)

What’s next

If Sandfort breaks the 3-point record, he will be honored during a ceremony at Nebraska's next home game.

The takeaway

This matchup between two of the Big Ten's top defensive teams features an intriguing personal storyline, as Nebraska's leading scorer Pryce Sandfort returns to his home state looking to etch his name in the school record books.