A strong group of matchups leads Sunday’s college basketball lineup, including two top-25 clashes. The No. 9 Illinois Fighting Illini (18-3) against the No. 5 Nebraska Cornhuskers (20-1) is the top matchup of the day.
Each team carries a 9-1 Big Ten conference record and can tie for first place in the standings with a win. What should we expect for Sunday’s 4:00 p.m. ET tipoff on FS1?
Check out our Illinois vs. Nebraska prediction and a pair of player projections on PrizePicks. Additionally, use PrizePicks Team Picks to make predictions on game winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 30 states.
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Illinois vs. Nebraska Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
Illinois is 8-2 over the last 10 head-to-head clashes, but Nebraska has won back-to-back games — including December 13’s 83-80 win. The Cornhuskers also carry a 6-4 record against the spread (ATS) in the last 10 matchups and a 3-1 mark over the past four.
During the Illini’s 10-game winning streak, they sport a 7-3 ATS record. Nebraska is just 6-4 ATS in the previous 10 matchups. The under is a clear trend for both teams, with 7-3 and 9-1 records, respectively, in the last 10.
Illinois vs. Nebraska Over/Under, Spread
Despite Illinois boasting a 5-0 road record, it has a 2.08x payout to win and is a 2.5-point underdog on PrizePicks Team Picks.
The Fighting Illini feature one of the nation’s best offenses, but Nebraska carries a strong defense. Which side will control the pace and sway the 150.5 total?
- Spread: Nebraska Cornhuskers -2.5
- Over/Under: 150.5
- Gamer Winner Payout: Illinois 2.08x | Nebraska 1.63x
Team Picks data is live as of writing and is subject to change.
Illinois vs. Nebraska Prediction on Over/Under
Illinois G Kylan Boswell is second on the team with 14.3 points per game (PPG) and is out with a hand injury. Nebraska F Rienk Mast (14.6 PPG) and F Braden Frager (12.2 PPG) are questionable due to an illness and ankle injury.
According to PrizePicks TeamPicks, Illinois and Nebraska are tied as the second favorites to win the Big Ten (3.7x payouts). As expected from a top-10 collision, the Illini and Cornhuskers feature a strength-on-strength battle.
Bart Torvik ranks Illinois first in adjusted offensive efficiency, while Nebraska sits sixth in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Fighting Illini find most of their success from 3-point land, averaging 11.0 makes (98th percentile) and 30.8 attempts per game (97th percentile).
The Cornhuskers allow 8.9 made triples and 29.3 attempted treys per game. Furthermore, they’re in the first percentile of 3-point shot distribution allowed. In the previous head-to-head clash, Illinois cashed in 10 shots from deep and totaled 80 points.
Nebraska is in the 97th percentile of 3-point shot distribution, and the Illini are in the 40th percentile of shot distribution from beyond the arc allowed. The Huskers also thrived from deep in the previous matchup, draining 12 triples.
After the two combined for 163 points in December, this matchup might be bound for another over.
Illinois vs. Nebraska Picks for PrizePicks: Sunday, February 1
Illinois G Keaton Wagler and Nebraska F Pryce Sandfort are on hot streaks, providing an angle for projections on PrizePicks.
Illinois G Keaton Wagler vs. Nebraska Projection: 2.5 3-PT Made
- The freshman phenom is on a heater over his last two games, posting 34.0 PPG with 10 made triples.
- Wagler has averaged 22.3 PPG and 3.4 made 3-pointers in his last seven appearances.
- He leads Illinois with 119 3-point attempts, and Nebraska is in the bottom six of 3-point shots allowed.
- If Frager is active, he carries a concerning 0.36 Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating (DBPR), per EvanMiya. Wagler could have a favorable one-on-one matchup.
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Nebraska F Pryce Sandfort vs. Illinois Projection: 18.5 Points
- Nebraska’s leading scorer (17.4 PPG) has racked up 23.0 PPG over his last five outings, reaching at least 20 points in five consecutive contests.
- Sandfort brings monster 3-point volume, hoisting 8.5 per game. He’s reached double-digit shots from deep in four of the last five games, averaging 10.8 attempts in the split.
- The Cornhusker forward is red-hot from beyond the arc with 5.0 made treys per game while shooting 46.3% over the last five games.
- Illinois is in the 18th percentile of 3-point attempts allowed, giving Sandfort a potential matchup to stay hot.
Make #9 Illinois vs. #5 Nebraska Picks on PrizePicks
Illinois vs. Nebraska may become a 3-point contest with each team struggling to guard the perimeter. Wagler and Sandfort are a pair of shooters on hot streaks who could thrive in the matchup.
Make your Illinois vs. Nebraska picks at PrizePicks, where you can earn real-money rewards for your predictions if you’re right. Just choose players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and follow the hoops action to see if your picks hit. You can make picks on winners, spreads, and over/unders on Team Picks, now available in 30 states.
Keep tabs on the Playbook for continued college basketball predictions, picks, and news.
