Game Overview
Nebraska enters this matchup having played one of the tougher Big Ten schedules and it shows in their recent warpath — multiple games decided by razor-thin margins, including a wild 114-116 OT loss at Ohio State and an 86-78 win over Arizona State. Despite a 4-6 SU mark over the last 10, they’ve covered in 5 of those, showing resilience against tough competition.
Georgetown, meanwhile, comes in with some momentum of their own and boasts a nearly identical SU and ATS record. They’ve found their scoring touch lately but have also struggled to slow down opposing offenses, allowing 73.0 PPG — bottom third nationally. Notably, the Hoyas have feasted at home (14-5), but are just 3-9 away, which is worth noting with this neutral-site setting in Vegas.
Key Matchups & Analysis
This is a tale of offensive tempo versus defensive resistance. Georgetown’s defense ranks poorly across the board — #284 in opponent FGA and #354 in opponent 3PM. That’s music to Nebraska’s ears, who won’t blow you away with efficiency (32.0% from three) but thrive when they can play inside-out and turn defense into quick buckets.
Key for Nebraska is keeping the backcourt healthy. Guards R. Worster and G. Griffiths are listed as questionable but have not played significant minutes lately, and the Huskers’ recent production suggests their absence is already priced in. Georgetown will be without key frontcourt contributors Sorber and Halaifonua, thinning their interior presence, which could open up more driving lanes for Nebraska’s backcourt duo of B. Williams (30 pts vs ASU) and J. Gary (18 pts).
ATS-wise, Georgetown has failed to cover in 4 of their last 6. Nebraska has gone 5-5 ATS over their last 10, but their losses came largely to tournament-level teams. This is a step down in class.
