Game Overview
In a decisive matchup in Lincoln, No. 9 Nebraska dominated Penn State with an 87-64 victory on Saturday, showcasing a stellar performance from Pryce Sandfort. The Cornhuskers improved their season record to 23-4 and 12-4 in the Big Ten, bouncing back from a previous loss to Iowa and securing a tie for third place in the conference standings.
Pryce Sandfort’s Performance
Sandfort’s remarkable outing included a career-high 33 points, with an impressive eight of those coming from three-point range, as he converted 8 of 14 attempts from beyond the arc. He set the stage early in the game, scoring 20 points in the first half alone, hitting his first five attempts from long distance and starting the game 6 for 6 overall. The highlight of his performance came when he navigated through two defenders for a layup, extending Nebraska’s lead to 31-15.
Team Contributions
Supporting Sandfort’s efforts, Braden Frager contributed 15 points, while Sam Hoiberg dished out a career-best 10 assists and scored 11 points. The team managed to thrive despite being without key player Berke Buyuktuncel, who was sidelined due to illness. Frager’s performance marked his second career start, showcasing the depth of the Nebraska lineup.
Penn State’s Struggles
On the other side, Penn State struggled significantly, especially in the first half where they committed 11 turnovers—many of which were unforced—and shot just 33% from the field. The Nittany Lions fell behind by as much as 21 points and could not recover, never truly threatening to upset their higher-ranked opponents, despite their aspirations to defeat a top-10 team on the road for the first time in over a decade.
Ivan Juric led Penn State with 13 points and 10 rebounds, along with Kayden Mingo and Josh Reed, who both added 13 and 11 points, respectively.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Penn State will host Iowa on Saturday, while Nebraska is set to face Maryland in their next contest on Wednesday night.
