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The Crown championship will be on the line when the Nebraska Cornhuskers battle the UCF Knights on Sunday. Nebraska advanced to the tournament's title game with a 79-69 win over Boise State on Saturday, while Central Florida outlasted Villanova 104-98 in overtime. The Cornhuskers (20-14), who tied for 12th in the Big Ten Conference at 7-13, are 5-1 on neutral courts this season. The Knights (20-16), who tied for 12th in the Big 12 Conference, are 5-3 at neutral sites in 2024-25.

Tip-off from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is set for 5:30 p.m. ET. Nebraska is a 4.5-point favorite in the latest Nebraska vs. Central Florida odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 159.5. Before making any Nebraska vs. Central Florida picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions from SportsLine's Thomas Casale.

A frequent guest on national radio and TV shows to discuss college sports, Casale started playing football sheets at 8 years old when his dad was the local bookie. He's been betting - and winning - for more than 30 years. Casale sets his own lines for each game, then looks at the metrics to see where he can find an edge in the number. He joined SportsLine in 2024 and promptly went 28-14-1 (67%) in college basketball, returning $1,215 to $100 players. He's now 61-38 (+1812) in his last 99 official college basketball plays on SportsLine. Anyone following could have seen huge returns.

Now, Casale has set his sights on UCF vs. Nebraska and just locked in his predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see Casale's picks. Here are the college basketball odds and lines for Nebraska vs. UCF:

  • Nebraska vs. UCF spread: Nebraska -4.5
  • Nebraska vs. UCF over/under: 159.5 points  
  • NEB: The Cornhuskers are 5-5 against the spread in their last 10 games  
  • UCF: The Knights are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games  
  • Nebraska vs. UCF picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why Nebraska can cover

Senior guard Brice Williams powers the Cornhuskers' attack. In an 86-78 win over Arizona State in the first round on Monday, he poured in 30 points, while adding four rebounds and two assists. He scored 28 points, while adding three rebounds and three assists in an 81-69 win over Georgetown in Wednesday's second round. In 34 minutes of play this season, he is averaging 20.5 points, four rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals.

Senior forward Juwan Gary has had a solid tournament, including a double-double in the win over Georgetown. In that game, he scored 17 points, while grabbing 10 rebounds, dishing out two assists and grabbing two steals. He poured in 21 points and added nine rebounds and three blocks in the win over Boise State on Saturday. In 30.3 minutes per game on the year, he is averaging 14.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals. See which team to pick here.

Why UCF can cover 

Senior guard Darius Johnson has been on fire the past two games in the tournament. In Saturday's win over Villanova, he poured in 42 points, while adding seven assists and five rebounds. He scored 31 points with seven assists, four rebounds and two steals in UCF's 88-80 win over Cincinnati in Thursday's second round. In 34.4 minutes per game this season, he is averaging 17.1 points, 4.3 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 2.3 steals.

With leading scorer Keyshawn Hall entering the transfer portal, senior guard Jordan Ivy-Curry stepped up his play in the semifinal win over Villanova. In 30 minutes of action, he scored 18 points with seven rebounds and one assist. In the first round of the Big 12 Tournament, he scored 15 points, grabbed three rebounds and dished out two assists in an 87-72 win over Utah. In 29.1 minutes per game this season, he is averaging 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 steals. See which team to pick here.

How to make UCF vs. Nebraska picks

Casale is leaning Over and believes one crucial X-factor will help one team earn the win, making them a must-back. Visit SportsLine right now to get Casale's picks, all from the college basketball handicapper who is 61-38 in his last 99 college basketball selections.