LINCOLN, Neb. (Interstat) — Pryce Sandfort scored 33 points to lead Nebraska to an 87-64 victory over Penn State in a Big Ten Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Cornhuskers, now 23-4, used a strong second half to pull away after leading 38-20 at halftime. Sandfort added nine rebounds. Sam Hoiberg contributed 11 points and 10 assists for Nebraska. Penn State’s Ivan Juric recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. The Nittany Lions fell to 11-17 overall despite 44 second-half points. A crowd of 15,128 attended.

LINCOLN, Neb. (Interstat) — Pryce Sandfort scored 33 points and Nebraska used a dominant first-half shooting performance to overwhelm Penn State 87-64 in a Big Ten men’s basketball game Saturday at a sold-out Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Cornhuskers, improving to 23-4 overall and solidifying their standing in the conference race, connected on 14 three-pointers and shot 51.6% from the field to hand the Nittany Lions their fifth loss in six games. Penn State fell to 11-17. The most critical phase of the contest came early, as Nebraska built an insurmountable lead by halftime. After a competitive opening few minutes, the Huskers unleashed a 23-4 run over a nine-minute span to seize control. Sandfort, the 6-foot-5 wing from Waukee, Iowa, was the catalyst, hitting four three-pointers during the surge. His third triple of the half, assisted by Sam Hoiberg, gave Nebraska a 24-7 advantage with just over 12 minutes remaining before the break. Penn State struggled profoundly from the perimeter, missing its first 11 attempts from three-point range and finishing the half just 1 of 13. The Nittany Lions’ offensive woes, coupled with 10 first-half turnovers the Huskers converted into 12 points, allowed Nebraska to build a 38-20 lead at intermission despite only a modest rebounding edge. The second half offered no reprieve for the visitors. Nebraska opened the period with a 9-3 spurt, capped by a Jamarques Lawrence three-pointer, to extend the lead to 47-23. Sandfort continued his offensive showcase, adding 15 points after halftime, including two more three-pointers. His final three, with 5:16 remaining, pushed the Nebraska advantage to 72-55 and effectively extinguished any lingering hope of a Penn State rally. Sandfort’s 33-point outing came on 11-of-20 shooting, including 7 of 14 from beyond the arc. He added nine rebounds, two assists and a block. Hoiberg, a Lincoln native, orchestrated the offense with a double-double of 11 points and 10 assists. Braden Frager provided 15 points and six rebounds, while Rienk Mast contributed eight points, six rebounds and three assists. For Penn State, which shot just 42.1% overall and 20% from three-point range, Ivan Juric recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Kayden Mingo also scored 13 points and dished out six assists, and Josh Reed added 11 points. The Nittany Lions did manage 44 points in the second half and won the battle in the paint 36-34, but their early deficit was too large to overcome. Nebraska’s offensive efficiency was stark, scoring 87 points on 69 possessions for a rating of 126.6. Penn State managed just 92.7 points per 100 possessions. The Huskers also capitalized on turnovers, scoring 19 points off 13 Penn State miscues. The announced attendance was 15,128. Nebraska entered the game as an 18.5-point favorite according to FanDuel Sportsbook, and the total score of 151 fell under the projected line of 149. Penn State returns home to face Iowa next Saturday. Nebraska continues its homestand against Maryland on Wednesday before embarking on a two-game road trip to Southern California and UCLA.

Preview: Penn State at Nebraska LINCOLN, Neb. (Interstat) — A surging Nebraska team looks to rebound from a rare stumble when it hosts struggling Penn State in a Big Ten men’s basketball matchup Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The No. 8-ranked Cornhuskers (22-4, 12-3 Big Ten) saw a four-game winning streak snapped in a low-scoring 57-52 loss at Iowa on Tuesday. Despite the defeat, Nebraska remains among the conference’s elite, boasting one of the nation’s top records. Their success has been fueled by a balanced attack and stout defense, holding opponents to an average of 62.3 points during their recent win streak. Nebraska will rely on forward Pryce Sandfort, who is averaging 17.2 points per game. Sandfort is coming off a 29-point, 6-rebound performance in a blowout win over Northwestern on Feb. 14 before being held to 13 points against Iowa. Penn State (11-16, 5-10) enters on a three-game skid, including an 85-72 home loss to Rutgers on Wednesday. The Nittany Lions have found consistent wins hard to come by, with only two victories in their last eight contests. Guard Kayden Mingo has been a bright spot for Penn State, averaging 15.1 points over his last seven games. He scored 24 points in a loss at Oregon on Feb. 14 and posted 16 points and 6 assists against Rutgers. Josh Reed, who had a team-high 22 points Wednesday, provides secondary scoring. The matchup presents a stark contrast in trajectories. Nebraska, fighting for a high seed in the NCAA tournament, has dominated at home with a 13-1 record at Pinnacle Bank Arena this season. Penn State, sitting near the bottom of the Big Ten, is just 2-8 in true road games. Nebraska won the first meeting this season, 81-70, in State College on Jan. 7. Sandfort led the Huskers with 21 points in that contest. For Nebraska, the game is a critical opportunity to regain momentum before a key road trip to Southern California and UCLA next week. For Penn State, it represents one of the season’s toughest tests as it aims to play spoiler against a ranked opponent. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.