| MATCHUP | Vanderbilt Commodores | Nebraska Cornhuskers |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 27-8 | 27-6 |
| Spread | -1.5 -118 | +1.5 -102 |
| Moneyline | -125 | +105 |
| Total | Over 146.5 (-108) | Under 146.5 (-112) |
| Where | Nebraska Stadium | |
| When | Saturday, March 21, 2026 | |
| Time | 08:45 PM EDT | |
| TV | TNT | |
The Vanderbilt Commodores and the Nebraska Cornhuskers will meet on Saturday night in an NCAA Tournament Second Round matchup at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Nebraska Cornhuskers Betting Preview
The Nebraska Cornhuskers enter Saturday night’s matchup with a 27–6 overall win-loss record, including a 15–5 mark in conference play and a 7-3 record on the road. The Cornhuskers have compiled wins over Minnesota, Notre Dame, Illinois, Northwestern and the USC Trojans, while dropping recent games to UCLA and the Purdue Boilermakers.
Earlier this season, in the Nebraska Cornhuskers 72-69 victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes, Cornhuskers forward Rienk Mast amassed 12 points (5 of 13 shooting from the field), 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block illustrating his ability to lead the Cornhuskers frontcourt.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers average 77.2 points on 46.4 percent shooting from the field (53rd in country) and 35.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc per game. Defensively, the Cornhuskers are allowing opponents 65.6 points per contest which ranks 12th in the country.
Senior forward Rienk Mast leads the Nebraska Cornhuskers averaging 14.7 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 0.5 steals per game. Junior forward Pryce Sandfort averages 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.1 steals per contest, while freshman forward Braden Frager provides frontcourt depth contributing 12.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1 assist per game.
Vanderbilt Commodores Betting Preview
The Vanderbilt Commodores enter Saturday evening’s contest with a 27-8 overall record, including an 11-7 record in conference play and an 8-4 mark on the road. Vanderbilt has amassed recent wins over Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia and the Texas A&M Aggies, while losing games to Alabama, Florida, Arkansas and the Kentucky Wildcats.
More recently, in the Vanderbilt Commodores thrilling 86-82 win over the Tennessee Volunteers two weeks ago, Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner tallied 25 points (7 of 9 shooting from the field: 9 of 10 shooting from the free-throw line), 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals illustrating his ability to perform at a high level.
The Vanderbilt Commodores average 86.1 points (13th in country) on 47.6 percent shooting from the field (36th in nation) and 35.6 percent shooting from three‑point range per game. Defensively, the Commodores are allowing 75 points per contest.
Senior guard Duke Miles leads the Vanderbilt Commodores averaging 15.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.6 steals per game. Forward Tyler Nickel contributes 13.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest, while sophomore guard Tyler Tanner provides further backcourt depth averaging 19.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.
Why the Nebraska Cornhuskers Will Win
• Elite defense. The Nebraska Cornhuskers are allowing opponents just 65.6 points which ranks 12th in the country.
• Balanced scoring. Rienk Mast, Pryce Sandfort, and Braden Frager are averaging over 12 points per game.
• Frontcourt play. Senior forward Rienk Mast leads the Nebraska Cornhuskers averaging 14.7 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 0.5 steals per game.
Why the Vanderbilt Commodores Will Win
• Balanced scoring. Duke Miles and Tyler Tanner provide consistent and reliable scoring.
• Momentum. The Vanderbilt Commodores arrive at tomorrow’s contest on the heels of a four-game winning streak.
• Frontcourt play. Forward Tyler Nickel contributes 13.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest.
Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Vanderbilt Commodores Prediction
In my view, this matchup features two teams that can score efficiently, but Nebraska’s perimeter shooting and defensive discipline give the Cornhuskers a clear path to staying inside the number (2.5) in this contest. Let us not forget that Nebraska has one of the most complete defensive teams in the nation. For the reasons just noted, I am backing the Nebraska Cornhuskers plus the 2.5 points in this game.