Georgetown Hoyas vs Nebraska Cornhuskers Picks and Predictions April 2nd 2025

Setting the Stage

Cale Jacobsen and the Nebraska Cornhuskers appear to be saving some of their best basketball for last as they head into a quarterfinal matchup against Georgetown in the inaugural College Basketball Crown tournament. The Cornhuskers (18-14) will try to keep rolling in Las Vegas on Wednesday night, with the winner advancing to the final four to face either Butler or Boise State.

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Nebraska’s Rising Stars

After a hard-fought first-round victory over Arizona State, walk-on sophomore Cale Jacobsen played a season-high 23 minutes and contributed five assists and three steals. The Cornhuskers were plus-10 when Jacobsen was on the court—a performance that earned high praise from head coach Fred Hoiberg.

“Cale knows every spot on the floor, 1 through 5, offensively and defensively. I thought he was the player of the game. He works hard, never complains, and even calls plays from the bench. Kid’s going to be a heck of a coach one day.” — Fred Hoiberg

First-team All-Big Ten guard Brice Williams leads Nebraska with 20.3 points per game, and his 30-point performance against Arizona State marked his fourth game with at least 30 points this season. That outing pushed his season total to 650 points, moving him past Eric Piatkowski for fourth place in school history. Joining him in double figures are Juwan Gary (14.1 ppg) and Connor Essegian (10.6 ppg).

Georgetown’s Emerging Talent

Georgetown (18-15) is also finding new life in its young roster under coach Ed Cooley. In their quarterfinal win over Washington State on Monday, sophomore guard Malik Mack led the Hoyas with a career-high 37 points—11 more than any other game this season—and knocked down a career-high eight 3-pointers, despite battling illness.

“Malik’s not feeling well, but his fight on the court shows that anything’s possible. I’m really proud of him.” — Ed Cooley

Mack is one of four players averaging in double figures for Georgetown, with Micah Peavy (17.2 ppg) and Jayden Epps (12.8 ppg) also contributing significantly.

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Outlook and What’s at Stake

Both teams have shown that young players can step into big roles when the stakes are highest. Nebraska’s emerging core—led by Jacobsen and Williams—and Georgetown’s promising talent, anchored by Mack, are lighting a spark that could carry their squads deep into the tournament. With a spot in the final four on the line, this game promises to be a marquee matchup, with the winner facing either Butler or Boise State in the semifinals.