The matchup between Nebraska and Iowa in the Sweet 16 is one that has history on both sides. The Hawkeyes have not made it back to the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 1999, and the Huskers have never completed the feat.
Now these two teams are competing for a spot in the Elite Eight again to make history. These are also two teams that are extremely familiar with each other, typically playing twice a year in the Big Ten. This season, both teams won on their home court, and there was a glaring stat that aided Nebraska in its home court win.
Nebraska's three-point shooting will again be crucial to continue dancing
When Nebraska faced Vanderbilt in the Round of 32, both teams had sharpshooters from beyond the arc, but neither made a huge impact. It was actually the second leading scorers that made the difference. However, in the matchup against Iowa, the three-ball will again be crucial for the Huskers.
In the games played between Nebraska and Iowa this season, the Huskers shot very differently from the arc in both. In the loss to the Hawkeyes, Nebraska was 5-for-24 from beyond the arc, shooting just 21%. However, at home against Iowa, the Huskers were 10-for-27 from three, shooting 37%.
When the Huskers are shooting the three-ball well, they have had more success this season. In the NCAA Tournament, whether it has been Pryce Sandfort or Rienk Mast, three-point shooting percentage has made a big difference.
In the first round against Troy, Nebraska was 14-for-39 from beyond the arc, shooting a stellar 36%, and Sandfort made half of those shots. While Nebraska didn't shoot from three quite as often against Vanderbilt, they made those shots count, going 9-for-19 from beyond the arc, and even better, 47% from the line.
The three-point shot has been kind to Nebraska so far in this tournament, and if they want to take out their Big Ten rival, they need to make sure it stays that way. Guys like Sandfort and Mast will need to continue to put up shots in the hope of leading Nebraska to its first-ever Elite Eight.