The 2026 NCAA Tournament's second round gets underway on Saturday with eight games deciding the first four berths in the Round of 16. No. 5 seed Vanderbilt and No. 4 seed Nebraska, both coming off double-digit first-round wins, meet in a South region matchup in Oklahoma City.
Vanderbilt is favored by 2.5 points ahead of this 8:45 p.m. ET tip-off on TNT, with the winner advancing to the Round of 16 in Houston.
Below, we’ll break down our Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska prediction and picks for Saturday night’s game. Make your NCAA Tournament picks on PrizePicks and earn real money if you’re right, including on game winners, spreads, and totals!
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Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
The Commodores returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017 and survived McNeese State, 78-68, in the opening round. First Team All-SEC G Tyler Tanner had 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists.
It was the school’s first tourney win since 2012, and only its second in its last 10 NCAA Tournament games. The Commodores last made the Round of 16 in 2007.
Vanderbilt started the season 16-0 before losing seven of the next 13 games. Wins over Mississippi State and in-state rival Tennessee earned the Commodores the No. 5 seed in the SEC Tournament, where they shocked No. 1 seed and defending champion Florida in the semifinals.
Nebraska earned the school’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win by blowing out Troy, 76-47. The Cornhuskers, who entered as the only school from a power conference without a tournament win, made 14 3-pointers and were led by F Pryce Sandfort’s 23 points.
The Cornhuskers, who were not ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll, started the season 20-0 and climbed as high as No. 5. They were the best defensive team in Big Ten play, forcing turnovers on nearly one-fifth of opposing possessions.
Nebraska has wins over Illinois and Michigan State, both No. 3 seeds.
Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska Spread, Over/Under
Vanderbilt enters Saturday's game as a 2.5-point favorite, returning a 1.72x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if it wins outright.
Nebraska is the underdog with a 2.08x payout if it wins, via PrizePicks Team Picks, where you can earn money with your picks in 35 states.
- Spread: Vanderbilt Commodores -2.5 (2x payout)
- Over/Under: 147.5 (1.92x payout)
- Game Winner Payout: Nebraska 2.08x | Vanderbilt 1.72x
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
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Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska Prediction on Spread – 3/21/26
Here are the key stats to know before locking in your NCAA Tournament Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska prediction on the spread for Saturday, March 21 on PrizePicks.
- Nebraska is 18-14-1 against the spread, fourth in the Big Ten. As an underdog, they're 4-1 ATS, with the lone non-cover last week in the Big Ten Tournament. They won outright as underdogs vs. Illinois, Ohio State, and Indiana.
- Per KenPom, Nebraska is 13th in the country overall with an offensive rating of 118.6 (54th) and a defensive rating of 91.9 (seventh overall).
- The Cornhuskers held opponents to 75.6 PPG, best in the Big Ten and 15th-best in the nation. They also led the Big Ten in steals per game with 7.3.
- Vanderbilt is 18-16 ATS and failed to cover as a favorite vs. Arkansas in the SEC Tournament Championship after covering in three consecutive games.
- The Commodores are 14-14 ATS as a favorite, fifth-best in the SEC. As a favorite of fewer than three points, however, they're just 1-4 ATS.
- KenPom has Vanderbilt rated 11th in the country, including an offensive rating of 126.9 (eighth) and a defensive rating of 99.4 (31st).
- The Commodores score 86.1 PPG, 14th in the nation and sixth in the SEC, while their defense allows 75.0 PPG (fourth in SEC).
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Make Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska Picks on PrizePicks
Can Nebraska continue the best season in school history with an appearance in the Round of 16, or will Vanderbilt ride the SEC Tournament upset of Florida to a deep run in the NCAA Tournament?
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