Nebraska vs Northwestern Prediction, Picks & Odds | 17 Jan 2026

College Basketball Betting Preview: Nebraska vs Northwestern

The Nebraska Cornhuskers battle the Northwestern Wildcats, with tip-off scheduled for 16:00 on Saturday, January 17.

There’s an attractive line of -4.5 when it comes to Nebraska when they go up against Northwestern. The -118 that the favorites cover the spread has lots of juice and our prediction is it will happen.

Nebraska Cornhuskers previous game saw them claim a 90-55 home win over Oregon Ducks.

Northwestern Wildcats lost their last game, being beaten at home to Illinois Fighting Illini 79-68.

Head-to-Head Statistics

Nebraska won the last matchup between the pair. Enjoying a 68-64 triumph when facing Northwestern. In the past 10 H2H meetings, Northwestern have won eight.

NCAAB	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Nebraska	26-6	2473	2119	354	19-3	7-3	1L
Northwestern	15-19	2487	2447	40	11-9	4-10	1L

View Full Standings

Nebraska vs Northwestern Prediction & Picks

Our Nebraska vs Northwestern betting tips provide expert coverage of all major angles, including our main match prediction, top player prop picks, correct score recommendation and best bet builder insights.

Game Prediction

Our best pick is that Nebraska are going to cover the -4.5 on the spread. You can get odds of -118 that there’s a bigger margin of victory in this college showdown.

We only publish our basketball picks once we’ve got a clear and confident read on team news and the latest form. We also stay sharp by digging into the most valuable stats to support every college hoops prediction we make.

Key Nebraska vs Northwestern stats:

• The -4.5 line has been covered by Nebraska in 16 of their last 20 games.
• The -4.5 line has been covered by Nebraska in 7 of their last 10 games.
• The -4.5 line has been covered by Nebraska in 2 consecutive games.
• The +4.5 line hasn’t been covered by Northwestern in 3 of their last 5 games.
• The +4.5 line hasn’t been covered by Northwestern in 2 consecutive games at home.

Nebraska -4.5 Probability

The top betting apps imply that our pick has a 54.1% prospect of delivering a return. Taking all factors into consideration, our analysts think there’s a stronger chance of success and estimate the probability to be closer to 60%. This is why we regard this as a value wager.

If you’re hunting for bigger odds and feel confident your selection is going to perform well, then consider moving the line and land a bigger potential return.

Power up your bet with the latest free bets, sign-up bonuses and premium betting offers found in our in-depth guide.

Our Game Prediction

Nebraska -4.5 @ -118 Bet Now

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Disclosure: This preview contains affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. T&Cs apply. We only recommend licensed and regulated operators. See our Editorial Policy. Pick odds and lines reflect the price available at the time of publication (Jan 17, 14:57). Live market odds are updated regularly and may differ. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Player Prop Picks

Top Pick: Jamarques Lawrence Over 11.5 Points -100

Jamarques Lawrence (Nebraska) is available at -100 to total Over 11.5 points. We have a strong conviction that he is able to cover the total when it comes to betting on Player Points.

Latest Jamarques Lawrence Player Prop Odds

Points

Over 11.5

-100

Under 11.5

-130

Assists

Over 3.5

-105

Under 3.5

-120

Rebounds

Over 3.5

+110

Under 3.5

-141

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Pryce Sandfort Under 4.5 Rebounds -118

Pryce Sandfort (Nebraska) is available at -118 to finish with Under 4.5 rebounds. We can’t pass up the chance to back Unders considering the Player Rebounds line that is on offer.

Latest Pryce Sandfort Player Prop Odds

Points

Over 16.5

-105

Under 16.5

-125

Assists

Over 2.5

+120

Under 2.5

-161

Rebounds

Over 4.5

-110

Under 4.5

-118

Pick odds and lines correct at publication. Live market odds are updated regularly and may differ. T&Cs apply. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Correct Score Prediction

Nebraska 81 - 72 Northwestern

Let’s roll the dice and try the Huskers to achieve a 81-72 winning scoreline. There are huge betting odds for this potential outcome and it’s a fun type of wager to enjoy.

T&Cs apply. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Nebraska vs Northwestern Odds

The odds and lines below are updated regularly and may differ from the prices shown in our picks, which are captured at the time of publication.

Nebraska have the shortest price to win this college game, with the sportsbooks giving them a 70% probability due to their -233 Moneyline betting odds. The market suggests that Northwestern are least likely to win at +190.

The spread is currently 4.5, with the total points line at 148.5. There is no denying the popularity of betting on the Totals. If you're keen on Over 148.5, this selection is available at -115.

The top basketball sportsbooks offer a huge selection of game lines and team props when it comes to most college games. Make sure you look through all the available options before deciding which bet to place.

Moneyline

Nebraska

-233

Northwestern

+190

Point Spread

Nebraska -4.5

-118

Northwestern +4.5

-104

Total Points

Under 148.5

-105

Over 148.5

-115

In terms of scoring most points, favorite Nick Martinelli is available at -115 to rack up Over 24.5 points. If you want to go Under, then -110 is available.

Nick Martinelli (Northwestern)

Over 24.5

-115

Under 24.5

-110

Pryce Sandfort (Nebraska)

Over 16.5

-105

Under 16.5

-125

Rienk Mast (Nebraska)

Over 15.5

-105

Under 15.5

-125

Jamarques Lawrence (Nebraska)

Over 11.5

-100

Under 11.5

-130

Rienk Mast (Nebraska)

Over 3.5

+135

Under 3.5

-185

Jamarques Lawrence (Nebraska)

Over 3.5

-105

Under 3.5

-120

Pryce Sandfort (Nebraska)

Over 2.5

+120

Under 2.5

-161

Nick Martinelli (Northwestern)

Over 1.5

+105

Under 1.5

-141

Nick Martinelli (Northwestern)

Over 6.5

-110

Under 6.5

-118

Rienk Mast (Nebraska)

Over 6.5

-145

Under 6.5

+110

Pryce Sandfort (Nebraska)

Over 4.5

-110

Under 4.5

-118

Jamarques Lawrence (Nebraska)

Over 3.5

+110

Under 3.5

-141

It’s good to consider all wagering options when it comes to college basketball and micro betting can be an exciting way to get involved in the action. When everything goes in-game, consider whether the next shot will be a Two or a Three-pointer.

Latest regular season and playoff games stats.

Nebraska Stats

Northwestern Stats

Moneyline

• 10 wins and 0 defeats in the last 10 games
• 8 wins and 2 defeats in the last 10 games on the road

Moneyline

• 3 wins and 7 defeats in the last 10 games
• 5 wins and 5 defeats in the last 10 home games

Point Spread

• -4.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 7 of the last 10 games
• -4.5 Betting Line on the Road: Have covered the spread in 5 of the last 10 games on the road

Point Spread

• +4.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 6 of the last 10 games
• +4.5 Betting Line at Home: Have covered the spread in 6 of the last 10 home games

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 140.30 pts in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals on the Road: An average of 160.70 pts in the previous 10 games on the road
• Over 148.5: Covered in 3 of the previous 10 games
• Over 148.5 on the Road: Covered in 7 of the previous 10 games on the road
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 78.30 pts and allowed 62.00 pts in the last 10 games
• Team Totals on the Road: Have scored an average of 82.20 pts and allowed 78.50 pts in the last 10 games on the road

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 149.00 pts in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals at Home: An average of 157.60 pts in the previous 10 home games
• Over 148.5: Covered in 5 of the previous 10 games
• Over 148.5 at Home: Covered in 7 of the previous 10 home games
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 75.90 pts and allowed 73.10 pts in the last 10 games
• Team Totals at Home: Have scored an average of 83.50 pts and allowed 74.10 pts in the last 10 home games

NCAAB Table Select Season 2025/20262024/20252023/20242022/20232021/20222020/20212019/2020

Big Ten	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Michigan	31-3	2952	2353	599	19-2	12-1	1L
Nebraska	26-6	2473	2119	354	19-3	7-3	1L
Michigan State	25-7	2526	2189	337	17-3	8-4	2L
Purdue	27-8	2858	2455	403	16-5	11-3	4W
Illinois	24-8	2700	2234	466	15-6	9-2	1L
Wisconsin	24-10	2822	2581	241	16-2	8-8	1L
UCLA	23-11	2643	2414	229	18-3	5-8	1L
Ohio State	21-12	2633	2402	231	15-5	6-7	1L
Iowa	21-12	2482	2177	305	17-3	4-9	1L
Indiana	18-14	2501	2309	192	15-6	3-8	2L
USC	18-14	2515	2494	21	11-7	7-7	8L
Washington	16-17	2545	2430	115	11-6	5-11	1L
Minnesota	15-17	2241	2193	48	13-8	2-9	1L
Northwestern	15-19	2487	2447	40	11-9	4-10	1L
Rutgers	14-19	2329	2479	-150	11-7	3-12	1L
Oregon	12-20	2267	2366	-99	10-10	2-10	1L
Penn State	12-20	2358	2539	-181	10-10	2-10	3L
Maryland	12-21	2300	2527	-227	9-8	3-13	1L

• Overall = Overall Wins-Losses
• PF = Total Points For
• PA = Total Points Against
• N. Pts = Point Differential
• Home = Home Record
• Away = Away Record
• Strk = Current Streak

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