The Nebraska Cornhuskers have never won an NCAA Tournament game. Their eight previous appearances have featured four chances as the higher seed in the first round, but none of those have yielded a win. Topping the Troy Trojans may not seem like a big deal to many people, but it will be a huge deal to the Cornhuskers.
My Troy vs. Nebraska predictions and these March Madness picks expect the Cornhuskers to press the gas all game long on Thursday, March 19.
Troy vs Nebraska prediction
Who will win Troy vs Nebraska?
Nebraska: The Nebraska Cornhuskers opened the season 20-0 before the crux of the Big Ten schedule saddled them with six losses. The most humbling of those losses was falling three times as a 1.5-point favorite, hardly an indictment of focus. Expect Nebraska to stay disciplined against an overmatched Troy Trojans team.
Troy vs Nebraska best bet: Over 137.5 (-110)
Long misses lead to long rebounds, and long rebounds lead to points in transition.
Expect plenty of each piece of that thought as the Troy Trojans hoist a bounty of 3-pointers early on Thursday: Troy takes 3-pointers at an inordinately high rate despite making less than a third of them, while the Nebraska Cornhuskers rank Top 10 in the country in both forcing 3-point attempts and in opponents missing those 3-pointers.
Nebraska is not exactly a fast-paced team, but those long misses should lead to enough easy buckets to propel this first-round matchup Over its modest total.
COVERS INTEL: Troy has been an underdog of at least three buckets just three times this season; all three games were on the road, and all three games went Over their totals. The Trojans took 42.7% of their shots from deep in those three games, a number actually lower than their season-long rate and one that Nebraska’s defense should notably escalate.
Troy vs Nebraska same-game parlay
While Troy takes too many 3-pointers for a team that misses 67.8% of them, Nebraska shoots more than half its field-goal attempts from beyond the arc and ranks in the top third of the country in making them. This math problem is rather clear.
And the Trojans’ long misses should lead to more rebounds in the hands of Cornhuskers guards, primarily Sam Hoiberg, already with a knack for tracking down defensive rebounds.
Troy vs Nebraska SGP
- Over 137.5
- Nebraska -13
- Sam Hoiberg Over 4.5 rebounds
Our Big Dance SGP: Troy's misses yield Huskers' gains
There is a cognitive disconnect here. Combining the Over 137.5 with Nebraska -13 pays +260, but this combination featuring Troy’s Team Total pays better than double that. The two same-game parlays are hardly different, certainly not 140% different. The entire thought in this preview is that Troy is going to miss long-range shots, and those will lead to easy buckets for Nebraska. Those thoughts apply to both of those same-game parlays; this one just pays wildly better.
Troy vs Nebraska SGP
- Over 137.5
- Troy Team Total Under 62.5
Troy vs Nebraska odds
- Spread: Troy +13 | Nebraska -13
- Moneyline: Troy +575 | Nebraska -1000
- Over/Under: Over 137.5 | Under 137.5
Troy vs Nebraska betting trend to know
Troy finished the regular season on a 1-5 stretch against the spread, also losing three times outright as a favorite. Two wins in the Sun Belt Tournament pushed the Trojans into the NCAA Tournament, but they hardly closed the season strongly. Find more college basketball betting trends for Troy vs. Nebraska.
How to watch Troy vs Nebraska
| Location | Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK |
| Date | Thursday, March 19, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 12:40 p.m. ET |
| TV | truTV |
Troy vs Nebraska key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
