Nebraska vs Kansas State Odds
| Nebraska Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -110 | 149 -110o / -110u | +180 |
| Kansas State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -110 | 149 -110o / -110u | -220 |
Two teams with NCAA Tournament hopes will square off on Sunday when the Nebraska Cornhuskers head to Manhattan to face the Kansas State Wildcats. Both teams have shown that they are capable of beating anyone in the country, but have also shown they could lose on any given night.
Jerome Tang's Kansas State team is expected to remain in contention in the Big 12 after last year's run to the Elite 8, but is only up to 42nd on KenPom, despite being 8-2.
On the Nebraska side of things, stop me if you have heard this before, but Fred Hoiberg is off to an incredible start! Oh wait, nobody has heard that before. The Cornhuskers are also 8-2 and this is only the second time in Hoiberg's tenure at Nebraska that he has secured his team's eighth win in December or sooner.
Kansas State will have home-court advantage, but can Nebraska make it interesting? Find my Nebraska vs Kansas State pick and prediction below.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
It all starts on offense for Nebraska. Keisei Tominaga is the big name, and a shooting sensation that will pull up from anywhere inside half court. It is a surprise if he makes less than three 3s in any given game and the spacing he provides for the rest of his teammates is immeasurable.
Alongside him are two key transfer additions — Rienk Mast and Brice Williams. Both are double-figure scorers on most nights, and Mast has been especially hard for opponents to handle inside.
When things fall apart for Nebraska, it's usually on the defensive end as Nebraska ranks just 127th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Cornhuskers gave up 89 points in their loss to Creighton, but then got bit one game later when Minnesota scored 76 points.
Nebraska will need to string together some stops to make this game competitive on the road.
Kansas State Wildcats
The good news is that Kansas State will stop itself every now and then.
Tylor Perry is the primary option in the backcourt, but he has been a bit erratic, especially from outside. He is only shooting 32% from 3-point range on the year, including 5-for-23 over his past three games.
Perry's partner in crime is Arthur Kaluma, who transferred from Creighton for a more featured role. Kaluma's inconsistencies have mostly disappeared, as he has scored in double figures in eight straight games.
Four of Kansas State's wins this season have come in overtime, which feels like it will bite the Wildcats sooner rather than later.
Nebraska vs. Kansas State
Betting Pick & Prediction
KenPom likes Kansas State at home, favoring the Wildcats by five points. But given their run of close calls, a team with the offensive firepower to keep up could catch them on the wrong night and change everything. Nebraska has the personnel to make this interesting. I like the Cornhuskers.
Pick: Nebraska +5.5
ESPN Bet is now live! Make sure you're ready for all the action with our exclusive ESPN BET promo code TANBONUS.
