Creighton vs Nebraska Odds, Pick
| Creighton Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -110 | 149.5 -110o / -110u | -200 |
| Nebraska Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -110 | 149.5 -110o / -110u | +165 |
The Nebraska Cornhuskers and Creighton Bluejays meet in Lincoln on Sunday, where the fans in red and white will hope a court storm ensues after 40 minutes of basketball.
It's been a long time since Nebraska started 7-0, so starting 8-0 seems unfathomable. For a program with no shortage of struggles over the years, it's a massive moment.
Creighton Bluejays
It's the second road game of the week for Creighton, which hammered Oklahoma State in Stillwater on Thursday.
The victory was more than just crucial from a win-loss standpoint — it proved the loss to Colorado State is nothing more than a one-off game.
That's major in the grand scheme of things for one of the nation's truly elite offensive teams. The offense shot 52% from the field in the win over Oklahoma State.
The Jays live but don't die by the 3. For most teams that attempt perimeter jumpers on half of their possessions, it's almost always a loss if you struggle from deep. The presence of 7-footer Ryan Kalkbrenner and Creighton's elite defensive make up for the off-shooting nights.
The duo of Steven Ashworth and Baylor Scheierman is shooting over 40% from deep this season.
Trey Alexander is the real key for Creighton's offense. Alexander is best used in a mid-range shooting role because that's his sweet spot. Alexander went 1-of-16 in the loss to Colorado State, but scored 20 against Oklahoma State.
He's the best scorer on Creighton's roster.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska really has something to prove. Sure, it's 7-0, but the only top-100 KenPom opponent it's played is Duquesne. Now, beating the teams you should beat is worth noting because the Huskers have struggled to do so in the past. Avoiding big losses is as good as achieving big wins when establishing a winning culture.
The path for Nebraska winning games is similar to Creighton's — high-octane offense. The Huskers rank 20th in Offensive Efficiency, according to KenPom, and shoot 34% from deep — while also attempting 3s about half the time.
Sharpshooters Keisei Tominaga and lengthy-wing Brice Williams help orchestrate the perimeter shooting attack. Both shoot over 40% from deep at high volume. Tominaga is the one guy who can explode for a 25+ point performance. He can get hot quickly, so Creighton needs to keep an eye out and run him off the 3-point line.
The biggest matchup to monitor is Rienk Mast against Kalkbrenner. Mast comes from Bradley, a highly successful program in the Missouri Valley. He's brought the winning mentality over to Lincoln, using his defense, passing and size to dominate opponents.
He'll face a lofty test against Kalkbrenner, but he's the straw that stirs the drink for Nebraska.
When Nebraska lost Derrick Walker — who impacted the game in all facets — nobody could replicate his play. That's until Mast suited up for Nebraska. He does literally everything, and he needs to control the game from the paint.
Creighton vs. Nebraska
Betting Pick & Prediction
We saw a pair of Big Ten hosts participate in massive upset victories this week (Northwestern and Wisconsin).
Nebraska could potentially be next on Sunday.
My only major matchup concern is the point guard situation, but Nebraska can really score it. There's no question about it.
Take the Huskers with the points.
Pick: Nebraska +3.5
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