WHO: Nebraska Cornhuskers (14-12, 6-9 Big Ten)
WHEN: 1:00 PM CT
WHERE: Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, NE)
TV: BTN (Mike Hall and Brenda VanLengen)
RADIO: Hawkeye Radio Network (Rob Brooks and Jamie Cavey Lang) | XM TBD or SXM TBD
MOBILE: www.foxsports.com/mobile
ONLINE: www.foxsports.com/live
FOLLOW: @IowaAwesome | @IowaWBB | @IowaonBTN

It's been just three weeks since Iowa last saw Nebraska, who came into Carver-Hawkeye Arena and gave the Hawkeyes four quarters of drama before folding, 80-76. Well, really two quarters, the first and the fourth, but the Huskers won those by a combined score of 47-28. If it wasn't for stellar play from Caitlin Clark and the crew in the middle stanzas, this would have been Iowa's most shocking loss of the Big Ten season.

The situation in Lincoln has not progressed for the better since then; Nebraska is on a three-game losing streak, having just dropped a Barn-burner at lowly Minnesota, 95-92. Huskers point guard Jaz Shelley scored 37 points in the losing effort, which saw the two teams combine for 118 points in the second half alone. Alas, Nebraska's 61 weren't enough to overcome its porous defense down the stretch, and now it's going to take a miracle run at the Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis for Nebraska to achieve its March Madness dreams.

A secondary objective that doesn't take four wins in four days, however, would be to tank Iowa's chances at a Big Ten title this Saturday afternoon, which is what a home win would effectively accomplish for Nebrasketball. Revenge is sweet as it is, but taking a chunk out of your opponents' season goals in the process is the sort of thing you savor for years.

On paper, Nebraska should be better than its record indicates. This is a team that went 24-9 last year, brought a ton of talent back and was widely expected to challenge for a double-bye in the conference tournament. Instead, the Big Ten's new "Big Five" are all ranked No. 13 or higher nationally, and Illinois has taken up the mantle of the best of the rest.

There's a fine line between disappointing and dangerous though, and that line is usually motivation. Nebraska has to feel like it can't let another opportunity slip by to take down the Hawkeyes, and these women know they're capable of it — especially with what's likely to be a raucous crowd looking to be as inhospitable as possible to Clark and company.

Nebraska needs an A-game from Shelley, who needs to be the primary weapon against Clark on both sides of the ball. Scoring 37 again isn't a realistic ask, but forcing Iowa's all-everything enigma to exert extra energy could keep her from the type of supernova performance that often puts games out of reach.

Perimeter defense is Nebraska's biggest strength without the ball, forcing opponents into just 32.4% shooting from behind the arc. The Huskers also collect 76% of opponents' misses on the glass, one of the best rates in the Big Ten (but not THE best), though their offensive rebounding is a pedestrian 31.4%.

Incredibly, Iowa's even better at defensive rebounding — fourth in the nation at 77.2% — and even worse at offensive rebounding, at 27.4%.

In other words, expect this game to come down to a whole lot of one-and-done possessions on both sides of the court, and if Iowa's jump shots stop falling for a spell, its forwards will need to put forth an uncommon effort to keep scoring opportunities alive.

Shelley remains having an excellent year as the Huskers' statistical and emotional leader, pacing the team with 13.5 ppg, 4.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game. Unfortunately, Shelley's shooting has only continued to slump, as she now sits at 38.7% from the field — scarcely higher than her 35.4% from deep. She's due for a return to form, and Iowa needs to be extremely careful of Shelley letting Nebrasketball lurch back to life, Frankenstein-style.

Along with Shelley, forward/center Alexis Markowski is the only other member of the Huskers to start every game this season; only five players have been healthy to play every game. Markowski has become more assertive on the glass as the season has gone on, recording double-digit rebounds in eight straight games (including an 18-18 double-double at Michigan last weekend), but her scoring remains the elephant in the room; Markowski won't win any high marks for shooting just 45% from the field in what was supposed to be a breakout year for the local star, which must be tearing her apart.

Forward Issie Bourne is also a key member of the Huskers' balanced attack on offense, averaging 12.2 points per game. Bourne's identity on the court is that of an inside-out scorer, who also collects rebounds and can make the smart pass, although her assist numbers (1.4 per game) remain substantially down from the supremacy of years past.

Focus, focus, focus. This is a Nebraska team that is much more dangerous than its three-game losing streak suggests, and Iowa witnessed it firsthand at Carver-Hawkeye. What's more, the stakes are even higher this late in the year, as even one unforced error in the loss column from here on out could push Iowa onto the 3-line come March.

Iowa must maintain its defensive intensity for as long as the game is even remotely competitive, which includes securing rebounds and taking care of the basketball. If the Hawkeyes take care of the details, they should leave Lincoln with a W.