Nebraska and Illinois both remain in Minneapolis to face each other on Saturday afternoon in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament. The game is at 3:00 PM ET on CBS. Can Illinois cover the 4.5-point spread as neutral site favorites? Keep reading for our Nebraska vs. Illinois prediction.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers are 23-9 straight up in the regular season this year. They are 21-11 ATS this season.
The Illinois Fighting Illini are 24-8 straight up in the regular season this year. They are 16-13-3 ATS this season.
Nebraska vs. Illinois Matchup & Betting Odds
611 Nebraska Cornhuskers (+4.5) vs. 612 Illinois Fighting Illini (-4.5); o/u 155.5
3:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, March 16, 2024
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
TV: CBS
Nebraska vs. Illinois Public Betting Information
Our CBB Public Betting Information page indicates that 86% of public bettors are currently backing Nebraska when it comes to the spread. This information is subject to change throughout the day, however, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
Nebraska Cornhuskers Game Notes
Nebraska guard Eli Rice won’t play against Illinois on Saturday due to an ankle injury he suffered last month. Rice was averaging 4.2 points per game in 9.8 minutes per contest before getting injured.
Nebraska guard Keisei Tominaga was sensational in his team’s 93-66 quarterfinal blowout win over Indiana on Friday. In that game, the senior from Nagoya, Japan recorded 23 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals. He converted 9 of 13 shots from the field and sunk 4 of 7 long-range attempts in the victory.
Illinois Fighting Illini Game Notes
Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. was instrumental in his club’s 77-74 win over Ohio State on Friday. In that contest, the 6’6” senior from Chicago accumulated 28 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Shannon is second in the Big Ten in scoring with 21.6 points per game on the campaign.
Fighting Illini forward Dain Dainja provided a much-needed spark off the bench for his squad on Friday. Against Ohio State, the 6’9” junior registered 18 points, 8 rebounds, and a blocked shot in only 20 minutes of action. Dainja converted 7 of 10 shot attempts from the floor and sunk 4 of his 8 foul shots in the triumph.
Nebraska vs. Illinois CBB Betting Trends
Nebraska is 2-3 ATS in their last 5 games against Illinois.
The Cornhuskers are 1-9 straight up in their last 10 games against the Fighting Illini.
Illinois is 12-10-1 ATS after a win this season.
Illinois is 11-9-1 ATS in conference games this season.
Nebraska vs. Illinois CBB Prediction:
Nebraska has had a hard time against Illinois straight up in their last 10 meetings. The Cornhuskers are 1-9 straight up against Illinois in their last 10, but 5-5 ATS in that same span. The disparity is due to the high spreads. Illinois was favored by double-digits in 6 of their last 10 games against Nebraska. The Illini are only favored by 4.5 points on Saturday.
The Fighting Illini have four players (Terrence Shannon Jr., Marcus Domask, Coleman Hawkins, and Quincy Guerrier) who are averaging over 10 points per game in 2024. Illinois is ranked 10th in the nation in adjusted efficiency margin according to Kenpom.com. Furthermore, the Fighting Illini are averaging 83.7 points per game a figure that ranks 8th in the country. That number is far above Nebraska’s season average of 77.3 points per game, which ranks 61st in the nation. In what figures to be a high-scoring shootout, I like Illinois to win, cover, and advance to the Big Ten Tournament championship game on Sunday.