1-on-1 with DP – 93.7 The Ticket KNTK - X Factor for Nebraska-Iowa: March 26th, 2026, 11:25am

Episode Date: March 26, 2026

what to watch for in Nebraska-Iowa. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This time of year, the school calendar really starts to fill up, spring activities, testing season, and that final push toward the end of the year. It's a great moment for kids to stay focused and build confidence in what they're learning. That's where Iexel comes in. Ixel is an award-winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand their schoolwork, from math and reading to writing and science. It's designed for pre-K through 12th grade, with personalized interactive content that adapts to each child's level and pace. I-Excel makes it easy to stay on track with instant feedback and clear explanations, skills organized by grade level, and simple progress tracking. It fits into even the busiest spring schedules.

It's also trusted nationwide. In fact, I-XL is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the U.S. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get I-Exel now. Listeners can get an exclusive 20% off I-XL membership when they sign up today at I-XL.com forward slash today. Visit Ixl.com forward slash today to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. One-on-one with D.P. Sponsored by the Downtown Lincoln Foundation on 93-7 the ticket. We are back here on one-on-one on the day of all days. The day Nebraska finally plays in the Sweet 16.

Who would have thought that this day would really ever come? But here we are, thanks to Fred Hoyboh in company down there, surprisingly against the Iowa Hawkeyes, but could this be written any better? Of course, you want to go through Iowa on your most magical run, and we'll see if Nebraska can get it done. Of course, the opposite end of that. If you lose to Iowa, man, those guys over in Iowa City aren't going to start barking about it

because they've already got enough to bark out on the football field. Of course, we can still count the national championship. So that's always my favorite comeback from Nebraska fans. All right, let's talk about national. championships instead. But on the field, recently, obviously on the field, Iowa has had Nebraska's number on the court. It's been that, it's been that way as well, though this season it's split. But overall, the series has kind of gone. Now, that being said, a lot of that was with Fran McCaffrey, so maybe you kind of reset the whole thing. I've got a little exercise here quickly, Nick,

before we get to an X factor. Are you that? Are you, uh, we get to X factors? Do you? Yeah. Well, I think you've got a good one. I don't know. We're in Lincoln. I don't know if I should. We couldn't know anything about what we're watching. We could see it. But in any case, do you, do you find yourself hating Iowa basketball?

Are you on your way to heating Iowa basketball? I mean, it's always interesting, especially talking to somebody who covers the team because you're supposed to somewhat be unbiased. But at the same time, you know, we're kind of a Husker-centric station. So we are kind of lean into the fan-based side of it, too. It just makes a miraculous job. It's fun to do it that way. So do you find yourself hating Iowa basketball at this point?

Right now, I will say it this way. There is no team in this field of 16 teams, 15 not counting Nebraska. Of the 15 possible opponents, there is nobody more that I would rather beat or see Nebraska a beat than Iowa. And there's nobody that I would rather see them lose, or excuse me, would hate to see them lose to more than the Iowa

law guys. I think the hatred is developing. Tonight's, with the stakes that are on the tonight's game, I think it's fair to say that this rivalry is going to take a step up in the intensity department from here on out. I

think that the hatred towards Iowa's building. I think it is. Which is great for it. Yeah. And you hate it because at the same time, like, had to, like, we know, especially on the football side of things, I think this is just like overall the rivalries building. Is it ever going to get to Nebraska, Oklahoma?

You know, the old heads will tell you know, and I agree. Because, I mean, again, the stakes that are on the line, unless Nebraska and Iowa can continually play for decades. Yeah. For national championships at stake, that's hardly going to be the case. But I think it's got some real Colorado feel to it by the time it got there. and that's a pretty darn good rivalry itself. I say all that because I wanted you,

I've got a list of players from Iowa since Nebraska joined the Big Ten. You tell me who bothered you the most. Okay. Maybe, okay. Well, and we can start and. I'm sorry, can you repeat from a scale of one to ten? This is,

or what? This is just, I'm just going to name off names and you can tell me who over kind of take the spot of who bothered you first, our most. This kind of goes in order of one in which they played. When Nebraska first came to the league, league. Devin Marble and Aaron White were kind of Iowa's main player. That's right. I don't know if we

developed hatred enough for them at that time. Because was that was that the team that had like Mike Gazelle? That's my next name. Mike Gazelle is at Adam White Gazelle. Yes. Yes. That one might be the top. It's a guy that that should have been at Nebraska. Yeah. He should have been at Nebraska in a Nebraska uniform. So yeah, Mike isle takes the top. All right. Let's see if we can take in Jared Utah. No. Top. Peter Jack. No. Oh gosh. Jockey. We're number 14 for the Hawks. I actually like Peter Jack. I bet you did. There's some,

actually, Utah too. But actually my favorite one is this guy, and he might be the lowest on your list. Does Jordan Bohannon overtake Mike? Yes. Oh, my goodness. Absolutely.

Jordan Bowhannan's on the, on the same playing field for me as Brad Davidson at Wisconsin. Okay, yeah. So he's going to be there. Yeah. He does he might be that we could in the list almost now. We absolutely could because that's where he. All right.

So let's see if we can talk about it. I like Jordan by any because it's from anywhere. I bet you do. So, you know, there's that. Luca Garza. No, don't really care. Jordan Weiss scam.

Don't really care. Connor or Patrick McCaffrey. No, it was more of a Fran McCaffrey issue for me. That was more Fran than anything. Yeah. Okay. Kagan or Chris Murray? No, they were good.

You just respected game. Yeah. Yeah. Joe Toussaint. Nope. No. Nothing. Philip Robrake.

Nope. All right. Peyton Stanford. No. No. Hussker. Liked him even when he was a hot guy? I didn't really care about him.

I didn't really care. He was fun. He was fun to watch. How about that guy walked by in a K-State Tominaga jersey? That's beautiful to see. It should be back to be in Houston.

So Bohannon takes the list unless these guys can top it. These guys played for Creighton and Iowa. Josh Dixon and Owen Freeman. Can they top Bohan for you? No, Owen Freeman's not doing anything. Josh Dix isn't even there anymore, so it doesn't bother me.

Yeah. So I'm good. Yeah, I agree. I thought at the time they might. I respect Bennett certs. Like I think Bennett Search is exceptional. And I think that there's 13 other, or excuse me, 17 other big 10 schools that would take Bennett-Sertz on their team in a heartbeat.

I'm very, I mean, even with the roster that Nebraska has, what Bennett-Surch does, we've talked about it all week long, all season long, just the growth that Nebraska's made at the guard position with pace and understanding when to when to attack and maybe when to slow things down. People give Jamarcus Lawrence a heck of a lot of crap in the game. And there's a collective groan every time where Jamarcus turns it over. You got to sit him. Put Sam Hoyberg in at point. Like, is there? Is there that?

Oh, yeah, I think there's a collective grown. Now, I just, I heavily disagree with it. I think Jamarcus has been really, really good this year. Yeah. And it's very valuable. Like, I look at tonight and throughout March Madness, when Nebraska needs, they need a Jamarcus Lawrence on their team.

Because you need to have somebody that can either steady the show, and the pace that they play with. And we talk about Fred talks extensively about assist turnover ratio being the big stat. Like none of that is applicable without Jamarcus Lawrence. And he's two to one. That's what you end for, assist a turnover ratio.

And he's among the few guys on the team that can create their own shot. Are you talking about from the like the end of the season? Did you notice more of that or just kind of throughout his time? I would say the end of the season. Yeah. I feel like people have struggled a little bit. Yeah. But I also, I don't know,

Bach, am I off on that Nebraska plays in the best conference in the, in the country? and they just need Nebraska. Like Nebraska just needed to get out of the Big Ten for a couple of games to get some of their swagger back. They did so against Troy. They took care of business against Vanderbilt. They know what this game against Iowa tonight is going to be like.

Like I just, I'm getting some Corey and Lincoln who disagrees with me a lot, which is fine. He says, I've not encountered this J-Mar collective grown phenomenon. That's fine. I'm just telling you that there's a lot, there has been a lot of people that are not out. I'm not saying that they're saying bench Jamarcus Lawrence, but I'm telling you that there's been a lot of people

that every time one guy turns over the basketball, we all overreact and talk about how Nebraska needs to bench this guy when things that Jamarcus Lawrence does so well doesn't always show up in the stat sheet. Yeah, that's my point. Yeah, specifically defense. We talk about why Bennett-Surch was shut down on March 8th and Lincoln in comparison to other games that Bennett-Search has played in.

it's because of Jamarcus Lawrence. Tonight, in order for Bennett Sturtz, or excuse me, for Nebraska to win, stopping or limiting Bennett-Sterts is going to be on the shoulders of Jamaris Lawrence. And I have a lot of confidence in J-Mar being able to do that. Yeah, yeah, me too. I mean, it is, that is the big part.

Was we talking, kind of getting to the X-Factor conversation, is what can they do against Bennett Sturts? He's been held under 40% against Nebraska. On the year, he's shooting close to 48%. So a lot of that credit has to, go to, obviously, the defenders that Nebraska have in the back court, being to Marcus Lawrence and Sam Hoyberg. So that's one of those things is like, is it a tough matchup for Sturts?

I would say so, or is he due? And that could be in one of two ways. He did not shoot well against Florida. Also did not, has not shot well against Nebraska at this point. And he's not going to stop shooting, right? No, he said that earlier this week. He talked about it. He's like, look, Ben McGla, or Ben McLaugh, Ben, Ben, McCollum was he's like the faith that he has in me from my head coach I'm going to keep on shooting.

I mean, Benetsters is going to shoot like he, that's just what he does. And he's going to shoot acrobatic shots. And he's going to try to make some really difficult shots. And a lot of times throughout the regular season you look and some of them went in. I mean, Nebraska, there were moments in the game in Iowa City that we attended that he hit some deep shots that were contested. And you just tip your cap because he's a really good shooter. and you just look at the history of Bennett Sturtz as well at his time at Northwest Missouri State and Drake, this is who he is.

Yeah. And you just, he's just an exceptional player. That's the reason why he's going to be a top, top 20 pick in the NBA draft coming up. Well, and it's consistent. And he gets his shots,

but he's, every game this year, he's scored in double figures except for two blowouts where they hold him. Against Bucknell and I don't forget what the other one was, Charlotte State or something like that. So if they need him, he's going, and they do need him.

I obviously need him to do that. but, you know, it's consistent. So I know he's going to do that. So it's just going to be like how many shots does it take for him to get there? Very interesting. If you, and I think altogether you hit on a good point, though, that I wanted to circle back to is I think there's a lot of excitement for Iowa plus the familiarity there, right? There's not a whole, you know, and I think people can view that as a good thing. But it's not an advantage one way or the other.

And to your point earlier, part of the kind of. going through the Big Ten grind as Team Cia the second time around. We talked about it going into the tournament. It's going to be hard for a team just to prepare for Nebraska in a few days. Does that concern you a little bit more going into this game as opposed to the other tournament games that Iowa is more? There's something about spring that just feels like a reset, longer days, fresh energy, and the motivation to try something new.

This spring, that's something new, could be learning a new language. That's where Rosetta Stone comes in. They've been a leader in language learning for over 30 years. with an immersive method that helps you learn naturally, connecting words, visuals, and meaning, and context instead of memorizing or translating. With over 25 languages to choose from, like Spanish, French, German, even Japanese, Rosetta Stone is a go-to tool for real language learning. It's designed to help you think in your new language, so what you learn actually sticks. Plus, true accent gives real-time feedback on your pronunciation, so you sound more natural, like having a personal coach. And you can learn

anytime, anywhere, whether you've got five minutes or a full hour. Ready to start learning a new language this spring? Visit rosettastone.com slash today to explore Rosettastone and choose the language that's right for you. Go to Rosettastone.com slash today now and begin your language learning journey. This time of year, the school calendar really starts to fill up, spring activities, testing season, and that final push toward the end of the year. It's a great moment for kids to stay focused and build confidence in what they're learning. That's where I excel, comes in. Ixcel is an award-winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand their schoolwork, from math and reading to writing and science. It's designed for pre-K through

12th grade, with personalized interactive content that adapts to each child's level and pace. I-Xcel makes it easy to stay on track with instant feedback and clear explanations, skills organized by grade level, and simple progress tracking. It fits into even the busiest spring schedules. It's also trusted nationwide. In fact, I-XL is used in 90s. of the top 100 school districts in the U.S. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get I-Exel now. Listeners can get an exclusive 20% off I-XL membership

when they sign up today at Iexel.com forward slash today. Visit IxL.com forward slash today to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. Prepared and they did well specifically against Nebraska and the first time out in Iowa City limiting this offense that's hard to keep down. I don't think so, Bob. I mean, I look at the confidence that we should all have in Fred Hoyberg and the rest of the staff, too, right?

Like, you know, just to compare back to February 17th when Nebraska lost in the game that was decided in the 50s compared to the way that it was decided 85 to 78 and overtime in Lincoln back on March 8th, part of the conversation needs to be had that Fred Hoyberg was able to make adjustments from game one to game two. Now, I was listening to Ben McCollum on a separate program earlier this week, and he talked about it. He's like, look, we're going to make adjustments. And I'm sure Coach Hoyberg is going to make adjustments as well. Like, that's why I just tweeted this out about an hour ago, actually. I said the matchup, the most fascinating matchup for me tonight is Fred Hoyberg versus Ben McCollum. Sure. And this is my tweet verbatim.

You can check it out on Twitter. I don't care. Of course, you need players to execute and to hit shots, but this feels like a game where the game plan adjustments and the in-game feel matters the most. And what I mean by that is we saw it play out, and part of that's because it's March Madness, but we saw it play out in Vanderbilt. In the last three minutes,

everybody's talking about when Nebraska went to zone. Like the feel of when it's time to make an adjustment versus, hey, let's just, let's ride this out for a little bit longer, whether that's substitutions, whether that's trusting guys with foul trouble, whether that's hitting, I mean, the adjustments and the counter adjustments that each coach is going to have to make is going to be crucial tonight. And sure, it's going to be played out and executed or not executed on the floor by the players. But there's a lot of confidence from me, I think, in Fred Hoyberg, in order for him to, hey, he's going to flex his muscles a little bit. And he's going to remind us why Fred Hoyberg's one of the better coaches schematically in college basketball.

and he's flying under the radar right now. Yeah, I think that is. I think that's a good take. And, you know, especially with this being the third meeting, I think it's a good point. And that's where it's hard, you know, especially when you come with these X-Factor type of conversations, there's just so much across the board to get to.

And as usual, it doesn't necessarily all mean it needs to be true. For example, Iowa beat Nebraska in that first game, despite shooting 33% from the field. That is awful. You will take that every time if you're a Nebraska fan. I'll take it tonight. If you guarantee me, Iowa shoots 33% from the field, I would all but guarantee you a victory.

But the problem is they already beat you that way. And we know, you know, I was going to hold on to the possessions and all that. So if I give you an idea for X Factor, it's coaching. Do you think that's what, at least the game comes down? I think it's coaching. I think it's ring mass. I think if we have to pick a player, it's rink mass for me. And it's his ability to at least pose.

a threat from the perimeter, which is why it was crucial that Rink hit has started to find his perimeter shot yet again. He found it towards the end of the regular season, was able to knock down some shots. He then found it in Troy against Troy, and he hit multiple threes against Vanderbilt last week. The fact, I'm not going to put a number on, hey, Rink needs to hit five threes for Nebraska to win tonight. I think that's being facetious. What I will say, though, is he has to do enough from the perimeter to at least pose a threat, which is not just tonight.

It's what he has done in the recent games. And that's why I give Nebraska a pretty solid chance to win tonight is because they're going to have to move whether they put a more athletic guard, maybe a bigger guard on rank, where a rink has to be guarded out by the perimeter and then it's more comfortable for the Iowa defense. Or if they put one of their bigger guys on them that doesn't move as well,

I think it will open things. up for Nebraska, whether that is a Jamarcus on the dribble driver, a Sam Hoyberg opportunity in the lane, draw fouls, get to the line. Bach, I want to get your thoughts on officiating because this is something Nebraska can't control. And we expect that in the Sweet 16, you should have some of the best officiating crews in the country, in all honesty. The top 40 should be calling these games for the Sweet 16, if you will. And when you look at the way that these two games, the Nebraska and Iowa have played out,

we can talk about schematics, we can talk about X factors, guys who need to hit shots, Price Sanford from beyond the three-point line. Nebraska has to make sure that they're playing within the parameters of the way the game is called. Against Iowa, when it was a physical,

rough it out, grind-it-out type of game, Nebraska didn't do a great job adjusting to that until maybe it was a little too late. When it was in Lincoln, it was better. We know how Iowa was going to play. Nebraska knows how Iowa is going to play. If the officials allow it to play that way and it looks similar to January or excuse me to February 17th in Iowa City,

Nebraska is going to have to do a much better job adjusting to the physicality than they did back then. Yeah, it's specifically true. You know, obviously getting Price Sanford open. Yeah. It could be a big, big part of that. And so you're going to have to kind of fight through the physical. physicality. And it is interesting to see that because that alone, like you said, could be the X factor. As we know, your home court advantage usually is going to help you. And maybe so maybe

that's the X factor along with the crowd, or excuse me, is the crowd putting the pressure on on the rest to maybe call this a little bit more of a Nebraska home game. Yep. For what we're referencing here, Nebraska, with their victory in overtime in Lincoln, Iowa was called for six more fouls. In Nebraska's loss in Iowa City, Nebraska was called for four more fouls. So in these one, two position games, of course, that can make all the difference. The other thing I'd look out for specifically, and I know it's kind of, I don't want to say Nebraska's Achilles heel, but it's the same thing every day, every game we go into is, okay, they got to make sure rebounding doesn't beat you tonight. And it's true, but it's true

specifically against Iowa who's beaten Nebraska in the rebounding battle both times. They out rebound in Nebraska by three in the game, Nebraska won. The big difference in Iowa City was rebounds. 13-plus rebound advantage for Iowa in that game, including a 12-2 offensive rebound differential. And of course, in that game that did go to overtime in Lincoln, there's a huge offensive rebound that led to a three-point that sent it to overtime. So rebounding is going to be huge specifically for a team in Iowa that averages less than 30 rebounds the game. Now again, they're kind of

slow pace, less possessions, that type of things can kind of leak into some of these other statistics. But you know, that is as usual going to be big here, specifically against a team that doesn't necessarily rebound all that well at least among the ranks in

college basketball. Yeah, I think there's a lot of excitement rightfully so for tonight. And you hope that the officiant doesn't dictate it, but I look at things, and it goes back to coaches for me of how quick does Fred Hoyberg get on some of the officials if it's being called a certain way to try to even it out, right? We've seen that before from Fred. He's very strategic

in this, in that understanding, and there's little instances to where you can maybe get on some officials and hopefully that it starts to even the scales in the officiating department of that game. And so if Fred decides that air feels, and Ben McCollum did the same thing in Iowa City. I remember seeing, I remember seeing Ben McCollum do it, where he felt like it was being officiated unfairly towards the Hawkeyes in Iowa City. And at the end of the game, it came down to it where they, you'll remember Nebraska fouled an Iowa player, Bennett Sturts on a three point shot. There was no foul. There was no contact. But the pre, literally 30 seconds before that in the media timeout, in the media timeout, at the under four minute media timeout, Ben McCollum was

relentlessly in the ear of Jeffrey Anderson. And that was something that you don't get to see on TV, but we got Austin and I were watching it and we said, man, this is good, something's going to happen. And three free throws for Bennett starts down the stretch there, it potentially changed the course of the game when you're down when you lose the game by five.

And so little instances like that, the coaches are smart enough. Ben McCollum, rightfully so. This week has been earning a lot of flowers and he's been getting a lot of respect. And being put on national notice, right? this is an opportunity also for Fred Hoyberg and his staff to say, hold on, we're going to take back control of this.

We're going to flex our muscles a little bit and we're going to go on to the elite eight. Yeah, I mean, the other thing is going to keep their emotions and check. The coaches naturally have to work the refs. I remember we read a game bringing up Fred Horberger is trying to get a technical to motivate the team and couldn't do it, right? So, you know, it is interesting to see how that's going to play out. But the other thing is I think that with the rivalry, with what that stake, you know, emotions are going to be flying and Berke, I think specifically

needs to kind of be told going into the night, no technicals, okay? I mean, this is not, this is, this is not the time for that. I wouldn't be surprised if Iowa tries to make it chippy. Right. I think they will. That's what they did against Florida. Yeah. Yeah. And I think, I think I will try to make it a little chippy and they're going to try to try to

pick apart Nebraska. I think like try not to over, you know, overcomplicate it like rank on the glass, like offensive glass. Like this is a big Barque game for where Barcai might not score a ton of points. Like if Barclay finishes tonight with four points, nine rebounds and three assists or four assists, like Nebraska's winning this game. Yeah. That's the type of game.

Like I don't think you have to overcomplicate it because Nebraska does all the little things so well. It's pace like control the glass, especially on the offensive glass, try to get some second chance opportunities. And like you said, Bach, on that last point, control your emotions because I think Iowa looks at this and says, okay, one way we can get to Nebraska. Number one, try to get them in foul trouble. Number two, try to get them to pick up a cheap one to like a technical foul or trying to make it a little chippy. Yeah. And to your point, too, especially with Barak. I agree with you.

I mean, if they can get an eight or nine rebound night from Barracade tonight, and that's where his focus is that should do has only had in the two games, has had five rebounds. and only had two rebounds in the loss in Iowa City. So definitely could be a huge focus and big reason for Nebraska to get the win, attack that glass. All right, let's go ahead and take quick break. We'll wrap things up with more thoughts on the game of all games in Nebraska basketball history. It's tonight, Nebraska and Iowa. We'll be back after this. Watch live on Facebook, YouTube, or Twitch.

You're listening to one-on-one with DP on 937 the ticket and the ticket FM.com. This time of year, the school calendar really starts to fill up, spring activities, testing season, and that final push toward the end of the year. It's a great moment for kids to stay focused and build confidence in what they're learning. That's where Iexel comes in. I Excel is an award-winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand their schoolwork, from math and reading to writing and science. It's designed for pre-k through 12th grade, with personalized interactive content that adapts to each child's level and pace. I-Xcel makes it easy to stay. stay on track with instant feedback and clear explanations, skills organized by grade level, and

simple progress tracking. It fits into even the busiest spring schedules. It's also trusted nationwide. In fact, Iexel is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the U.S. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get Iexel now. Listeners can get an exclusive 20% off Iexel membership when they sign up today at Iexel.com forward slash today. Visit Ixl.com forward slash today to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.