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  1. Home
  2. NCAAB Picks
  3. Illinois Fighting Illini vs Nebraska Cornhuskers
Thu 8:30 PM ET
Illinois Fighting Illini logo
Illinois
Fighting Illini74
28-9
versus
Nebraska Cornhuskers logo
Nebraska
Cornhuskers80
28-7
Final/OT
Team123T
Illinois Fighting Illini3139474
Nebraska Cornhuskers40301080
NCAAB · Illinois Fighting Illini at Nebraska Cornhuskers

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Illinois Fighting Illini vs Nebraska Cornhuskers Betting Picks & Predictions

Game time: January 30, 2025 at 8:30 PM ET

Venue: Pinnacle Bank Arena — Lincoln, NE

Article updated Jan 30, 6:00 PM EST

Published by SportsJaw Editorial Team

The Nebraska Cornhuskers will face off against the Illinois Fighting Illini in a Big Ten matchup at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Illinois, currently seventh in the conference

Game outlook

The Nebraska Cornhuskers will face off against the Illinois Fighting Illini in a Big Ten matchup at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Illinois, currently seventh in the conference standings, has been on a decline with only two wins in their last five games. Nebraska, on the other hand, is aiming to break their six-game losing streak at home. Despite Illinois's impressive nine-game winning streak against Nebraska, they are the favorites with a -3.5 point spread. If you need help with handicapping, consider using our NCAAB predictions for guidance.

Betting Odds

Moneyline: Fighting Illini -173 | Cornhuskers +150

Spread: Fighting Illini -3.5 (-110) | Cornhuskers +3.5 (-110)

Total: Over/Under 153.5 (-110)

Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Illinois will win straight-up is 63%.

Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois has had a dominant history against Nebraska but is in need of a win in their upcoming game. Despite recent struggles, they remain ranked 18th and have a strong offensive lineup led by Kasparas Jakucionis. They have a power ranking of 80, ranking 7th in offense and 112th in defense. Illinois averages 85.89 points per game and has strengths in rebounding and free throw shooting. Defensively, they are solid at defending field goals and three-pointers. Fans should watch for the matchup at the three-point line against Nebraska. With injuries impacting the team, the Illini will need to rely on their offensive prowess and strong defense to secure a win.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Picks are opinions, not guarantees. Past results do not predict future outcomes.

Nebraska Cornhuskers Analysis

The Nebraska Cornhuskers have had high expectations this season after making it to the NCAA Tournament last year, but have struggled to find consistency with a 12-8 record and a six-game losing streak. They are looking to bounce back at home in their upcoming game, especially with an upcoming two-game West Coast road trip. Despite remaining relatively healthy, they will face a tough challenge against an elite offensive opponent, given their own struggles on offense. Leading scorer Brice Williams will need support from the rest of the team to improve their offensive output. In terms of statistics, the Cornhuskers rank #129 for offense, #146 for defense, and have an average of 76.42 points per game. On defense, they allow 41.38% field goals and 70.10% free throws. Overall, Nebraska will need to overcome their recent struggles and improve on both ends of the court to get back on track.

Illinois Favored to Secure Road Victory and Cover Spread Against Struggling Nebraska

Illinois is poised to secure a road victory and cover the spread in this upcoming matchup. Their strong performance on both offense and defense makes them a formidable opponent for Nebraska, who lacks significant scoring depth with only three double-figure scorers. The Cornhuskers may struggle to keep up with Illinois' scoring capabilities, especially considering their recent six-game losing streak which has likely impacted their confidence. Additionally, Nebraska has only covered the spread once in their last six games, indicating potential challenges in this mid-week game against Illinois, who has historically had success against them in recent years. Overall, Nebraska may face difficulties in both scoring and defending against Illinois in this anticipated contest.

SportsJawGame Predictions
Predicted score

Unavailable for this preview

Projected winnerUnavailableConfidencelow
Pick on the Spread

Published pick: Unavailable

Pick on the Total

Published pick: Unavailable

#IllinoisFightingIllini#NebraskaCornhuskers

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Written by

SportsJaw Editorial Team

SportsJaw published this archived preview from its original game-day article. Its prediction and quoted lines are preserved as written.

About our editorial process

SportsJaw Fighting Illini vs Cornhuskers archived game preview contains historical odds and availability that may no longer be current. View history of past Fighting Illini vs Cornhuskers matchups or learn how our predictions work.

Current matchup data

Lines, trends and availability

Line movement since open

  • Moneyline · Illinois Fighting Illini-174 → -200Moved
  • Moneyline · Nebraska Cornhuskers+143 → +169Moved
  • Spread · Illinois Fighting Illini-4 (-110) → -4.5 (-110)Moved
  • Spread · Nebraska Cornhuskers+4 (-110) → +4.5 (-110)Moved
  • Total · Over154.5 (-110) → 156.5 (-110)Moved
  • Total · Under154.5 (-110) → 156.5 (-110)Moved

ATS and O/U trends

Illinois Fighting Illini
28-9 matchup record · 4-6-0 ATS · 7-2-1 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file
Nebraska Cornhuskers
28-7 matchup record · 5-5-0 ATS · 5-5-0 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file

Injuries and availability

From the published research (2025-01-30T23:00:14.247Z). Availability may have changed; review the cited sources.

Illinois has had a dominant history against Nebraska but is in need of a win in their upcoming game. Despite recent struggles, they remain ranked 18th and have a strong offensive lineup led by Kasparas Jakucionis. They have a power ranking of 80, ranking 7th in offense and 112th in defense. Illinois averages 85.89 points per game and has strengths in rebounding and free throw shooting. Defensively, they are solid at defending field goals and three-pointers. Fans should watch for the matchup at the three-point line against Nebraska. With injuries impacting the team, the Illini will need to rely on their offensive prowess and strong defense to secure a win.

Recent head-to-head

  • 2024-03-16Nebraska Cornhuskers 87 · Illinois Fighting Illini 98
  • 2024-02-04Nebraska Cornhuskers 84 · Illinois Fighting Illini 87
Final result

Matchup pick recap

Nebraska Cornhuskers defeated Illinois Fighting Illini 80-74

Nebraska Cornhuskers defeated Illinois Fighting Illini 80-74 on January 30, 2025, a 6-point decision in the series. Nebraska Cornhuskers' strongest period was the 1st half, when it outscored its opponent 40-31. Against SportsJaw's recorded Illinois Fighting Illini -4.5 (-110) spread, Nebraska Cornhuskers covered, while the 154 combined points finished under the recorded total of 156.5.

SportsJaw editorial picks

  • Projected winnerNo published selectionUnavailable

Tipster picks

  • DtownsendSpread · Illinois Fighting Illini -4 (-110)Loss
  • EXCELent Sports PicksMoneyline · Illinois Fighting Illini -190Loss
  • JackCohenSpread · Nebraska Cornhuskers +3.5 (-110)Win