Nebraska Dominates Penn State in Big Ten Matchup

Cornhuskers cruise to 87-64 victory over Nittany Lions

Feb. 21, 2026 at 11:34pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Penn State men's basketball team fell to the #9 Nebraska Cornhuskers in a lopsided Big Ten matchup. Nebraska jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, leading by as much as 22 points in the second half before cruising to an 87-64 victory.

Why it matters

This loss drops Penn State to 0-3 in Big Ten play, putting them in an early hole in the conference standings. Nebraska, on the other hand, improves to 3-0 and solidifies their status as one of the top teams in the Big Ten.

The details

Nebraska dominated the game from the opening tip, shooting 50% from the field and 57% from three-point range in the first half to build a 38-20 lead at the break. Penn State struggled offensively, shooting just 31% in the first half. Nebraska continued to pull away in the second half, leading by as much as 22 points before winning by a final score of 87-64.

  • At the first media timeout (14:55), Nebraska led Penn State 13-9.
  • With 7:46 left in the first half, Nebraska led 22-11.
  • At halftime, Nebraska led 38-20.
  • With 16:06 left in the second half, Nebraska led 47-25.
  • With 4:00 left in the game, Nebraska led 74-54.

The players

Pryce Sandfort

Nebraska's leading scorer, who had 27 points and shot 6-of-7 from the field and 5-of-6 from three-point range.

Braden Frager

Nebraska player who scored 15 points and shot 50% from three-point range.

Josh Reed

Penn State player who scored 11 points.

Kayden Mingo

Penn State player who scored 11 points.

Ivan Juric

Penn State player who led the team with 13 points, shooting 6-of-8 from the field.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

The takeaway

This game highlighted the stark contrast between the hot-shooting Cornhuskers and the struggling Nittany Lions, who will need to regroup quickly if they want to turn their season around and compete in the tough Big Ten conference.