Top-10 Showdown Opens Big Ten Play as Nebraska Visits Iowa IOWA CITY, Iowa (Interstat) — A marquee Big Ten Conference women’s basketball opener awaits on New Year’s Day, as the Nebraska Cornhuskers visit the Iowa Hawkeyes on Thursday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Both teams enter conference play with strong résumés. Nebraska (12-1) has soared through nonconference play, its only blemish a 74-66 home loss to Southern California on Dec. 29. Iowa (11-2) also boasts just two defeats, falling to then-Connecticut and in-state rival Iowa State. The matchup features two of the nation’s most dynamic players. Nebraska is led by sophomore guard Britt Prince, who averages 14.5 points and 5.2 assists per game. Prince is coming off an 18-point, 7-assist effort in the loss to USC and has scored in double figures in 11 games this season. Iowa counters with sophomore forward Ava Heiden, who is averaging 15.2 points and 5.2 rebounds. Heiden dominated in Iowa’s most recent outing, pouring in 27 points and grabbing 9 rebounds in a 99-76 rout of Penn State on Dec. 28. The game represents a critical early test in the Big Ten title race. Nebraska’s high-powered offense averages 84.2 points per game, while Iowa scores at an 80.2-point clip. The Huskers will look to control tempo behind Prince, while the Hawkeyes will rely on Heiden’s interior presence and the supporting play of Journey Houston (11 points, 11 rebounds vs. Penn State) and Taylor Stremlow. History adds intrigue, as Iowa has won the last six meetings in the series. Nebraska’s last victory at Carver-Hawkeye Arena came in 2018. Thursday’s winner will seize immediate momentum in one of the nation’s toughest conferences. For Nebraska, it’s a chance to prove its sterling record on the road. For Iowa, it’s an opportunity to defend its home court and establish itself as the conference frontrunner. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.