When Nebraska basketball tips off its second-round NCAA Tournament game against Vanderbilt, it will be the first time in the history of the Huskers' program. This is truly undiscovered country for NU, and that's why the game could go any number of different ways.
Chief among the storylines that could help Nebraska is that all the pressure is off. After never having won a first-round game, they beat the Troy Trojans by more than 20 points. So now that the monkey is off their backs, can they keep playing as they did in the second half on Thursday? Even when they struggled a bit in the first half, the defense looked like it did when the Huskers were 20-0.
There's also the fact that Nebraska fans have absolutely flooded Oklahoma City. Vanderbilt noticed. Fans talked about how unfair it was, and even Commodores coach Mark Byington commented that the game against the Huskers will feel like a road game. Does all that lead to NU making it to the Sweet 16 and the second weekend?
Nebraska basketball vs Vanderbilt final oddsÂ
After easily covering the 13.5-point spread against the Trojans, the Huskers are going to go from juggernaut to underdog. Vanderbilt opened the week as 2.5-point favorites. It seems perhaps the massive amount of NU fans has shrunk the line, but the 'Dores are still 1.5-point favorites entering Saturday morning.
The total of 146.5 shows that FanDuel Sportsbook and other oddsmakers expect this to be an offensive showdown. That may come as a surprise considering what the Cornhuskers' defense did to Troy and what it's done all season.
Nebraska vs Vanderbilt final prediction
After getting the monkey off their back, two things could happen. Either the Huskers will relax too much, or the pressure will be off, and they'll play fast and loose. I think NU will surprise some people as they look like they're playing more like they did when analysts were even projecting them to the Final Four.
Nebraska beats Vanderbilt and heads to the Sweet Sixteen, 70-67