Busting Brackets
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Nebraska NCAA Tournament odds take massive blow after double OT loss to Ohio State

ByFrank Sciarroni|
Jan 19, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Fred Hoiberg talks with Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Brice Williams (3) during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
Jan 19, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Fred Hoiberg talks with Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Brice Williams (3) during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

In a battle on the bubble Tuesday night Ohio State pulled off a massive 116-114 victory in double overtime over Nebraska. The Cornhuskers had a chance to take the lead with eight seconds remaining in regulation, but a missed free throw by Brice Williams helped send the game to overtime. Despite the critical miss at the line, Williams put on an incredible performance setting a Nebraska school record for most points in a single game with 43. 

The outcome of this one resulted in a massive shift on the bubble with Ohio State now comfortably in and Nebraska on the outside looking in. The Buckeyes will have another crucial bubble matchup with Indiana who lost at Oregon on Tuesday night.

As for Nebraska, they will face off with Iowa on Sunday in a game with not only NCAA Tournament implications but a Big Ten tournament bid up for grabs as well. With 18 teams now in the conference and only 15 spots available, the Cornhuskers now find themselves in the bottom bunch of teams on the Big Ten tournament bubble.

This means that Sunday’s matchup in Lincoln will likely be a play-in game to secure a spot in Indianapolis and keep any hope of an NCAA Tournament bid alive. If the Cornhuskers were to lose to Iowa, they could still find themselves in the top 15 of the conference, but would need some outside help being:

  • USC losing to both Washington and UCLA or
  • Minnesota defeating one of Wisconsin or Rutgers AND USC defeating both Washington and UCLA

The second half of February has been grueling for Fred Hoiberg’s squad who is currently on a four game losing streak which includes losses against three teams in the bottom half of the Big Ten and a one possession loss at home to No. 15 Michigan.

TeamRankings.com currently gives the Cornhuskers a 34% chance to receive a tournament bid while Torvik’s T-Ranketology has that number at 4.6%. An appearance in this year's field would make it the first time since 1993-1994 that Nebraska made back to back NCAA Tournament appearances. After a solid stretch in early February that had this team comfortably in the big dance, they now find themselves in need of one more win just to make their conference tournament and likely needing to pull off three or four wins in Indianapolis to find their way into the NCAA Tournament.

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