UCF and Nebraska meet in CBC
Nebraska Cornhuskers (20-14, 7-13 Big Ten) vs. UCF Knights (20-16, 9-14 Big 12)
Las Vegas; Sunday, 5:30 p.m. EDT
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Cornhuskers -3.5; over/under is 158.5
BOTTOM LINE: UCF and Nebraska play in the College Basketball Crown.
The Knights are 9-14 against Big 12 opponents and 11-2 in non-conference play. UCF ranks fifth in the Big 12 with 10.2 offensive rebounds per game led by Moustapha Thiam averaging 2.7.
The Cornhuskers are 7-13 in Big Ten play. Nebraska is fifth in the Big Ten with 24.9 defensive rebounds per game led by Berke Buyuktuncel averaging 4.1.
UCF averages 80.1 points, 7.3 more per game than the 72.8 Nebraska gives up. Nebraska has shot at a 45.6% rate from the field this season, 0.7 percentage points higher than the 44.9% shooting opponents of UCF have averaged.
TOP PERFORMERS: Keyshawn Hall is shooting 42.8% and averaging 18.8 points for the Knights. Darius Johnson is averaging 3.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Connor Essegian averages 2.2 made 3-pointers per game for the Cornhuskers, scoring 10.4 points while shooting 37.2% from beyond the arc. Brice Williams is averaging 22.7 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knights: 7-3, averaging 83.1 points, 35.4 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 7.8 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 80.2 points per game.
Cornhuskers: 4-6, averaging 75.4 points, 30.9 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 6.6 steals and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 76.7 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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Ohio State Buckeyes Punter: Joe McGuire Kicker: Jayden Fielding Punt Return: Brandon Inniss Kick Return: Mylan Graham While a perennial national title contender, Ohio State always seems to struggle on special teams. McGuire returns as the starting punter after averaging just 42.1 yards per punt last season. The overall team closed the year with a net punting average of 35.9 yards, good for 14th in the conference. Luckily for Buckeyes fans, the team tends to score more than it punts. Fielding, meanwhile, is back to handle the kicking duties after a strong 2024 season. He went 13-of-17 (76.5%) overall, including an impressive seven-of-eight mark from 40-49 yards. The multi-year starter enters 2024 as one of the better kickers in the conference. Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire 10. USC Trojans Punter: Sam Johnson (transfer) Kicker: Caden Chittenden (transfer) Punt Return: Makai Lemon Kick Return: Makai Lemon USC has significant turnover in its special teams room after it led the Big Ten in net punt average (45.4) and finished 16th in placekicking (63.2%). Johnson transfers in from Valparaiso after averaging 47.1 yards on 63 punts in 2024. Chittenden, meanwhile, made 78.8% of his field-goal attempts at UNLV last season. That included a terrific 25-of-29 mark from inside of 50 yards. Lemon is also back as the Trojans' kick returner after turning 19 returns into 514 yards (27.1 yards per return) last season. Chittenden will need to reverse the Trojans' recent kicking woes for this group to improve its standing. Get more (USC) news, analysis and opinions on Trojans Wire 9. Penn State Nittany Lions Punter: Riley Thompson Kicker: Ryan Barker Punt Return: Devonte Ross (transfer) Kick Return: Nicholas Singleton Thompson is back for his third season as the Nittany Lions' starting punter. He averaged 42.8 yards per punt in 2024, good for a top-half finish in the Big Ten. Barker is also back after a strong 2024 season. He went 15-of-18 on field-goal attempts, including a perfect nine-of-nine from inside 40 yards. Troy transfer Ross will look to improve a punt return unit that averaged just 5.9 yards per return in 2024. He averaged 14 yards per return in 2024, including a 77-yard return touchdown. Get more (Penn State) news, analysis and opinions on Nittany Lions Wire 8. UCLA Bruins Punter: Will Karoll (transfer) Kicker: Mateen Bhaghani Punt Return: Mikey Matthews (transfer) Kick Return: Mikey Matthews (transfer) The Bruins added a multi-year starter in Karoll (Tulane) this offseason. 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Finally, Beatty returns as the team's return ace after leading the Big Ten in punt return average (14.1 yards) last season. 5. Rutgers Scarlet Knights Punter: Jakob Anderson Kicker: Jai Patel Punt Return: D.T. Sheffield (transfer) Kick Return: D.T. Sheffield (transfer) Anderson enters his second year as Rutgers' punter after a solid 2024 campaign. He finished tied for 10th in the conference with 42.6 yards per punt. The team as a whole did well in covering those punts, finishing ninth with a 39.1 net-yards-per-punt average. Patel, a multi-year starter, enters 2025 as one of the Big Ten's better kickers. He's made 81% of his attempts over the past two years, including a 90% mark from inside of 50 yards. The unit's question entering 2025 is North Texas transfer Sheffield. He averaged more than 12 yards per punt return and more than 21 per kick return. He's taking over a return unit that finished last in the Big Ten in kick return average and first in punt return average last season. If Sheffield excels, Rutgers could have some of the Big Ten's better special teams units. 4. Indiana Hoosiers Punter: Mitch McCarthy (transfer) Kicker: Nico Radicic Punt Return: Makai Jackson (transfer) Kick Return: Solomon Vanhorse McCarthy transfers in after three years as UCF's starting punter. His 44.1 yards-per-punt average from last season would have ranked seventh in the Big Ten. Radicic, meanwhile, is back after a fantastic 2024 campaign as the Hoosiers' starting kicker. He made 10 of 11 field goal attempts, including eight of eight from inside 40 yards and a perfect 69-of-69 on extra point attempts. While the team lost standout punt returner Myles Price to the NFL after last season, Appalachian State transfer Jackson should be a fine replacement. The Hoosiers' efficiency on punt and kick units leads to their strong ranking. 3. Michigan Wolverines Punter: Luke Bauer (transfer) Kicker: Dominic Zvada Punt Return: Semaj Morgan Kick Return: Anthony Simpson (transfer) Bauer joins the Wolverines after starting for Missouri last season. He averaged just 41.8 yards per punt, which would've ranked in the Big Ten's bottom tier. A best-in-the-nation kicking game bolsters Michigan's ranking. Zvada made a Big Ten-best 21-of-22 field goals in 2024, including 10-of-10 from 30 to 50 yards and seven-of-seven from 50-plus. He should be the top kicker selected in next year's NFL draft. On the return units, Morgan returns after a solid season on the punt unit, while the team's kick return is a bit of a question. Overall, having one of the nation's best kickers typically leads a special teams unit to a high ranking. Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire 2. Oregon Ducks Punter: James Ross Kicker: Atticus Sappington Punt Return: Gary Bryant Jr. Kick Return: Noah Whittington While the 2024 Oregon Ducks rarely punted, Ross helped the team to a top-five finish in punt average (44.9 yards). 2025 will be about turning that distance into worse field position for the opponent, as the 2024 Ducks ranked just 12th in net punt average (37.3). Sappington returns as the full-time placekicker after an impressive 14 makes on 16 field goal attempts in 2024, including a perfect 11-of-11 from inside 40 yards. The team will likely turn to Bryant to replace star punt returner Tez Johnson, while Whittington is set for another key role after helping the Ducks to a top-three finish in kick return average. Overall, special teams are a clear strength for the Ducks. Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire 1. Iowa Hawkeyes Punter: Rhys Dakin Kicker: Drew Stevens Punt Return: Kaden Wetjen Kick Return: Kaden Wetjen LeVar Woods' special-teams factory continues to make a winning difference for the Hawkeyes. Dakin should again be one of the Big Ten's best punters this season. He averaged 44.1 yards on a Big Ten-high 64 punts in 2024. By no surprise, the Hawkeyes were fantastic in coverage, holding opponents to only 40.2 net yards per punt. At kicker, Stevens returns after a stellar 20-of-23 (87%) conversion rate last season, including 16-of-16 from inside of 50 yards. Finally, return specialist Wetjen headlines the Hawkeyes' special teams unit. The rising senior led the Big Ten in kickoff return yards (727), average yards per kick return (28), kickoff return touchdowns (one), punt return yards (328) and punt return touchdowns (one) in 2024. He's arguably the best return threat in the nation entering the 2025 season. Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
