Iowa-Nebraska breakdown

RECORDS

Iowa 16-10 (7-6 Big Ten); Nebraska 13-13 (5-9 Big Ten)

TV

2 p.m. BTN (Kevin Kugler and Shon Morris)

LOCATION

Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Neb.

LINE

Iowa by 1.5

PREVIOUS MEETING

Iowa won 70-59 on Jan. 5 in Iowa City; Iowa leads all-time series 16-9

KEY MATCHUP

Jarrod Uthoff/Aaron White vs. Shavon Shields/Terran Petteway.

Four of the Big Ten's top 25 players will compete head-to-head in some way on nearly every single possession. Petteway (18.3 ppg), who led the Big Ten in scoring last year, is more of a do-it-all wing who is capable of dominating a game from every spot on the floor. He can bring it up, dish it, shoot it, drive it and score it with a range that few (or any) Big Ten players present. The key, Uthoff says, is forcing Petteway to consistently take tough shots like he did in Iowa City. Petteway scored 11 points and had three turnovers with no assists on Jan. 5.

'You've got to make that first one tough and get a hand in his face,” Uthoff said of Petteway. 'If he makes that one, then you might be in for a long night.”

Shields, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame guard Will Shields, is among the league's best inside scorers, averaging 15.7 points a game. He stands 6-foot-7 and drives to the post almost with ease. He scored 25 points against Iowa on Jan. 5.

'Shields, I told him, he's one of my favorite players in the league to watch and compete against,” White said. 'I really like his game. An old man's game, real smooth, he's got his own shot fakes, he's got his own step-backs, he's quicker than he looks, but he's another guy, scores in the midrange, scores in the post. He's improved his range a little bit, he gets to the line. I just like his game.”

'We've got to contain them, both are really good scorers,” Uthoff said. 'Shields gets to his right hand all the time, ... He gets to his right hand every time. I don't know how, but he does it.”

White (23 points) and Uthoff (15) had strong performances against the Cornhuskers. White got to the free-throw line 15 times and Uthoff hit a big 3-pointer with 7:12 left in the second half to push Iowa ahead 53-51. Center Gabe Olaseni scored a career-high 18 points with 12 free throws in 13 attempts.

KEY STATISTICS

SCORING/OPP:

Iowa 69.0/62.1; NU 62.3/61.3

FG%/OPP FG%:

Iowa 43.2/39.7; NU 42.3/39.3

3PT%/OPP 3PT%:

Iowa 32.8/32.0; NU 29.3/31.8

FT%:

Iowa 73.3; NU 71.9

LIKELY STARTERS

Iowa:

G Mike Gesell (6-2); G Peter Jok (6-6); F Jarrod Uthoff (6-9); F Aaron White (6-9); C Adam Woodbury (7-1)

Nebraska:

G Tarin Smith (6-2); G Terran Petteway (6-6); F Shavon Shields (6-7); F Nick Fuller (6-7); C Leslee Smith (6-8)

KEY RESERVES

Iowa

: C Gabe Olaseni (6-10); G Anthony Clemmons (6-2); G Josh Oglesby (6-6); F Dominique Uhl (6-9)

Nebraska:

G Tai Webster (6-4); G Benny Parker (5-9); F Walter Pitchford (6-10); F David Rivers (6-7)

BOTTOM LINE

This is a crossroads game for Iowa this year (and heck for the whole program). The Hawkeyes are within striking distance of securing a second consecutive NCAA tournament berth but every time they've taken a step forward, they fall back, especially in Big Ten play. Iowa started 4-1, then fell to 4-4, was 6-4, then 6-6. It's similar to the last two seasons where they finished 9-9 in league play. Two years ago they missed the NCAA tournament. Last year they made it into the First Four.

Iowa plays a team that has little at stake but is committed to winning this game. Nebraska has lost four straight and six of seven but plays hard in every single contest, which is a credit to Coach Tim Miles. The Cornhuskers have lost only three times in two years in their new arena and boast two of the league's best scorers in Petteway and Shields. It's legends weekend in Lincoln, which means the crowd will be energized. Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery expects a tough atmosphere.

'Every venue on the road in this league is tough,” McCaffery said. 'We've got three road games left and they are all going to be brutal on the road, and that's how you want it when they come in here.

'So I respect that program. I respect Tim (Miles) as a coach, and they have got really good players. They have got a great atmosphere, and that's what it's all about.”

Iowa needs to show killer instinct, something it seems to lack in these types of games. Last time at Nebraska two years ago, the Hawkeyes led by 19 in the first half but lost by four points. That's a trait that has crushed Iowa repeatedly the last three years. In Big Ten games decided by five points or less, the Hawkeyes are 3-15 over the last three years. That means you're just good enough to lose against decent teams.

The Hawkeyes should win this game, but I've seen this rodeo several times over the last three years. This game will come down to the end. Iowa will have to earn the victory with defense, clutch shooting and late free throws. A win and Iowa just about locks up an NCAA bid. A loss keeps the Hawkeyes on the bubble. They seemingly never make it easy.

PREDICTION: Nebraska 66, Iowa 63

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com