NCAAB: #9 Texas A&M vs #8 Nebraska Odds, and Picks (Mar 22)

• Texas A&M lost to Florida in the SEC semifinals on Saturday, by a score of 95-90.
• Nebraska was knocked out of the Big-10 semifinals by Illinois, falling 98-87 in the loss.
• These two teams last faced off on January 29, 2011, in a game that Nebraska won 57-48.

The NCAA Tournament is officially underway! Let’s take a look at this matchup between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Both racked up wins against some of the top teams in the nation. The winner will set their eyes on 1-seed Houston.

How to Watch

• TNT

Preview

Texas A&M was firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble for much of March after they entered the month on a 5-game losing streak. They turned things around enough prior to Selection Sunday, winning five of their last six games. The Aggies may not have the most impressive record at 20-14, but signature wins over Kentucky and Tennessee show what they are capable of. Texas A&M and top-scorer Wade Taylor IV will be fighting to avoid a first-round exit for the 3rd consecutive season.

Nebraska ended a 10-year NCAA Tournament drought this season, claiming an 8-seed in the process. They closed the season out by winning 7 of their last 9 games, giving them some momentum entering the tournament. The Cornhuskers have one of the deepest benches in the country, which allows them to keep fresh legs on the court and pester opposing teams on defense. Senior G Keisei Tominaga has led the way for Nebraska offensively. He hasn’t been quite as efficient as he was in 2022, though.

Prediction

Nebraska has some notable offensive advantages in this game, ranking much higher in FG%, 3PT%, and FT%. That being said, they didn’t face as difficult of a schedule as Texas A&M did, and struggled to contain the top scorers of other teams. If the Cornhuskers fail to slow down Wade Taylor IV, this could be a tougher matchup than they anticipate. I see this one going back-and-forth and coming down to the wire. Ultimately, I like the Aggies to pull off the 9-8 upset and advance to the second round.

NCAAB Picks:

• Texas A&M 74, Nebraska 72 (TAMU +1.0)