Expert prediction
Penn State vs No. 9 Nebraska Preview, Odds, Predictions (Feb. 21)
Pick rationale
Analysis & key factors
- The Nittany Lions look to end a drought of losing road games to ranked teams.
- The Cornhuskers hope to bounce back from a road upset loss to Iowa.
- This marks the 29th all-time matchup between the two Big Ten squads.
The No. 9 Nebraska Cornhuskers will have the Big Ten be active on Feb. 21 as they host the Penn State Nittany Lions. The ranked squad comes out as the dominant favorite, looking to defend homecourt and compete for the regular-season title.
How to Watch
- When: Saturday, Feb. 21, 2 pm ET
- Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Nebraska
- How to Watch: Big Ten Network
NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines
| Team | Odds | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penn State | -110 | +17.5 | O148.5 |
| Nebraska | -110 | -17.5 | U148.5 |
Game Preview
The Nittany Lions (11-16, 2-14 Big Ten) have been woeful as one of the worst performing teams in the Big Ten despite starting the year 9-2. They are coming off recent losses to Oregon and Rutgers, both by double-digits. Kayden Mingo has been promising for the team throughout his freshman campaign. He is the third-highest scoring freshman in the Big Ten. He also leads the Nittany Lions in assists (4.3 apg) and steals (2.25 spg), while ranking second in points (14.0 ppg) and third on the team in rebounds (3.5 rpg).
The No. 9 Cornhuskers (22-4, 11-4 Big Ten) haven’t been the same team since their 20-0 start to the campaign. They have lost four of their last six games, starting to lose momentum after being one of the best performing teams in the country. Pryce Sandfort leads Nebraska with 17.3 points per game, ranking 12th in the Big Ten in scoring, first in 3-pointers per game (3.5) and third in 3-point percentage. Rienk Mast comes next with 14.1 points and a team-best 6.2 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Braden Frager (11.6 ppg) and Jamarques Lawrence (10.7 ppg) are also averaging double figures in scoring, providing multiple factors in the matchup.
Penn State vs Nebraska Head-to-Head
The two programs have had 28 meetings in their history, and the result is 15-13 for the Nittany Lions. The last matchup was on February 2025 when North Carolina won 89-72 at home.
Penn State vs Nebraska Predictions
Nebraska continues to stand out as the better team over Penn State despite the significant dip in form. The Cornhuskers have shined with a dynamic offense that can light up opponents at any given time. This also proves to be a difficult matchup for the Nittany Lions, who haven’t been able to beat ranked opponents in road contests since February 2009. Our betting pick here is the Cornhuskers to defend a 17.5-point spread.
- Free NCAAB pick: Nebraska Cornhuskers -17.5
NCAAB
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