Illinois Fighting Illini vs Nebraska Cornhuskers Odds & Predictions: College Basketball picks for Feb 12
The No.6 Illinois Fighting Illini and the Nebraska Cornhuskers are set to square off in a Big Ten matchup at the Pinnacle Bank Arena on Friday.
The Fighting Illini have won four consecutive games and are now 13-5 on the year, while the Cornhuskers are the worst team in the Big Ten with a 4-11 overall record.
Here, we will take a look at the two teams' statistics and trends to examine the best college basketball bets for Friday night's matchup.
Match Details
Fixture: Illinois Fighting Illini vs Nebraska Cornhuskers - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date and Time: Friday, February 12, 9:00 PM ET
Venue: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Nebraska
College Basketball Bets Today: Illinois Fighting Illini vs Nebraska Cornhuskers Betting Odds, Lines, and over/under
The Illinois Fighting Illini currently control the historical record between their in-conference rivals, with 11 wins and 7 losses. However, the home team has won the previous five encounters.
Although that is the case, it is doubtful that the Nebraska Cornhuskers will earn their first Big Ten win of the season over the Illinois Fighting Illini, despite being at home. The question that college basketball betters are asking is whether or not the Fighting Illini will win by over 15 points or more.
The Fighting Illini are averaging 81.8 points per game on 50.3% shooting compared to Nebraska, who are putting up 71 points per game on just 40.9% shooting. Along with the higher offensive efficiency, Illinois will have a major matchup advantage in both the frontcourt and the backcourt.
The Fighting Illini have two players who are in contention to win the Naismith Award: Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn.
Dosunmu is averaging 21.2 points and 5.1 assists on 48.6% shooting. He recorded his first career triple-double in his previous outing against the Wisconsin Badgers.
Cockburn is a dominating presence in the paint, averaging a double-double on the season with 17.2 points and 10.4 rebounds a game. Both players will play big roles against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Friday night.
The X-factor for the Nebraska Cornhuskers is Lat Mayen. The junior forward who transferred out of TCU has scored 54 points in his last four games on 41.9% shooting from behind the arc. His ability to shoot from the perimeter will force Cockburn to defend outside the paint. This will allow Nebraska to pick up offensive rebounds.
Another player who will need to make a considerable contribution to the Cornhuskers is Teddy Allen. He is averaging 16.9 points on 42.3% shooting. If this game is to reach the over, it will rely on whether Allen can produce his typical scoring average.
Odds:
Illinois Fighting Illini: +14.5 (-110)
Nebraska Cornhuskers: -14.5 (-110)
Moneyline:
Illinois Fighting Illini: --
Nebraska Cornhuskers: --
Over/Under:
Over: 147 (-110)
Under: 147 (-110)
Illinois vs Nebraska Prediction
The best bet would be to take the Nebraska Cornhuskers at +14.5 and the over. The Illinois Fighting Illini will win the matchup but expect the Cornhuskers to keep the game within single-digits and reach their season average of 71 points.
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