Pryce Sandfort scores career-high 33 points to lead No. 9 Nebraska past Penn State 87-64

Photo: Nebraska forward Pryce Sandfort (21) drives against Penn State forward Mason Blackwood (1) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Lincoln, Neb. (AP Photo/Bonnie Ryan)

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Pryce Sandfort scored 20 of his career-high 33 points in the first half and finished with eight 3-pointers, leading ninth-ranked Nebraska in an 87-64 rout of Penn State on Saturday.

The Cornhuskers (23-4, 12-4 Big Ten) bounced back from a 57-52 loss at Iowa on Tuesday and moved into a tie for third place in the conference with their dominant performance against the league's last-place team.

Sandfort, who set the school record for 3-pointers in a season against Iowa, made his first five deep shots and started 6 for 6 overall against the Nittany Lions (11-17, 2-15). He finished 8 of 14 from beyond the arc.

Sandfort showed he's more than just a perimeter threat when he snaked his way through two defenders to the hoop for a layup that put the Huskers up 31-15.

Braden Frager scored 15 points and Sam Hoiberg had a career-high 10 assists to go with 11 points.

Penn State, trying to beat a top-10 team on the road for the first time since 2009, never gave itself a chance. The Nittany Lions committed 11 first-half turnovers, many of them unforced, and shot 33% from the field while falling behind by as many as 21 points. The Huskers led by 28 in the middle of the second half.

Ivan Juric had 13 points and 10 rebounds, Kayden Mingo added 13 points and Josh Reed had 11 for Penn State.

The Huskers played without Berke Buyuktuncel, who missed the game because of illness. Frager made his second career start.

Up next

Penn State: hosts Iowa on Saturday.

Nebraska: hosts Maryland on Wednesday night.