No. 17 Illinois needs to end January on a high note after being dealt three losses this month, kicking them down the Big Ten standings. The Fighting Illini stroll in Pinnacle Bank Arena as 4.5-point road favorites against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who are desperately trying to an end to their miserable six-game skid.
On top of their losing streak, the Cornhuskers haven't been very kind to us bettors either—going 1-5 ATS in their last six. With a bleak offensive effort and a sloppy defense, Nebraska is a sinking ship that I won't be wagering on anytime soon.
Illinois vs Nebraska Odds Today
Matchup Page: Illinois vs Nebraska, 8:30 PM ET
Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Illinois Fighting Illini | -4.5 (-102) | -182 | O153.5 (-115) |
Nebraska Cornhuskers | +4.5 (-120) | +150 | U153.5 (-105) |
Odds as of January 30 at Sportsbook
Illinois vs Nebraska Picks Today
Illinois -4.5 (-102) at Sportsbook
Generally, all that's working in Nebraska's favor is home-court advantage. They may have won 20 of their last 22 meetings in Lincoln, but those two losses came in the second-half of January—making them not as threatening as they once were at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Sitting second-last in the Big Ten and picking up just two conference wins, the Cornhuskers are down in the dumps.
Fred Hoiberg's team simply isn't capitalizing when they should be, sinking an unhelpful 7.4 three-pointers, a middling 36.2 total rebounds and applying no pressure on opponents with just 2.9 blocks per game. With a -12.0 scoring margin across its last three, Nebraska isn't keeping up and simply isn't slowing competitors down.
Like I alluded to above, January has been a nightmare for Illinois with three losses tarnishing their record. Two of those defeats were against Maryland, holding a noble 17-5 SU, and Michigan State, the intimidating Big Ten leaders. Now is the chance for Kasparas Jakucionis, leading his team with 15.9 PPG, and Co. to take advantage of some easier scheduling.
Illinois has a +16.3 win margin and there's a multitude of ways this core will cover this 4.5-point spread. The Fighting Illini, averaging the nation's best 45 total rebounds per game, are going to expose the Cornhuskers weakness on the glass.
The Illinois offense, averaging 85.8 PPG, is going to control the pace of this matchup and suffocate Nebraska on the scoreboard.
Illinois vs Nebraska News
It's been a tough couple of weeks without Tomislav Ivisic for the Fighting Illini, who has been sidelined with mononucleosis. The 7-foot-1 sophomore's absence will be obvious tonight as he leads Illinois with 8.5 rebounds per game and, as I've mentioned at nauseam, Nebraska coughs up an overload of boards.
Tomislav Ivisic will miss his third straight game Thursday night against @HuskerMBB. @IlliniMBB’s @CoachUnderwood weighs in on how the #Illini have, for the moment, shifted gears without their starting center. pic.twitter.com/BDNcOYXORi
— Scott Richey (@srrichey) January 29, 2025
Illinois vs Nebraska Betting Trends
- The Fighting Illini are 5-2 SU (71.4%) in their last 7 games on the road
- The Cornhuskers are 0-6 SU and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 outings
- The Cornhuskers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 meetings when entering as underdogs