The Illinois Fighting Illini take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln, Nebraska. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
Nebraska is favored by 1.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -125. The total is set at 151.5 points.
Here’s my Illinois vs. Nebraska prediction and college basketball picks for February 1, 2026.
Illinois vs Nebraska Prediction
My Pick: Illinois ML +110
My Illinois vs Nebraska best bet is on the Illini to win outright. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Illinois vs. Nebraska Odds
| Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -112 | 151.5 -105o / -115u | +105 |
| Nebraska Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -108 | 151.5 -105o / -115u | -125 |
Illinois vs Nebraska College Basketball Betting Preview
Illinois Basketball
Illinois has been one of if not the hottest team in America over the last two months, winning 10 straight games, three of which came on the road.
The Fighting Illini boast the nation’s best offense, per KenPom. They're a high-volume shooting team, attempting 3s on 50.1% of their field goals while hitting 35% of them.
Don’t get it twisted, though. Illinois isn’t a “3-point or bust” team.
Even on the missed 3s, Illinois has a chance to keep the possession rolling thanks to its 39.9% offensive rebound rate. The duo of David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic has been huge for Illinois in multiple ways. Mirkovic adds 12.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, but he also shoots 37% from deep.
It’s been an up-and-down year for Ivisic, but he can shoot it well from deep.
The Illini are also pretty solid defensively. They limit opponents to 46% shooting on 2s (33rd nationally) and 31% from deep (61st nationally). The best thing Illinois does is not make self-inflicted mistakes; it leads the country in KenPom’s FTA/FGA metric.
I did downgrade Illinois a bit when Kylan Boswell got hurt, but Keaton Wagler has swiftly alleviated my concerns. From a ball-handling standpoint, Wagler has taken the reins and done well.
Plus, he scored 46 points and 22 points in back-to-back wins over Purdue and Washington. Wagler is a strong shot-creator and a highly skilled pick-and-roll passer.
Nebraska Basketball
Nebraska finally took a loss this season in a tough road game against Michigan.
I have less trust in the Cornhuskers overcoming a tough shooting night than in Illinois. They attempt 3s 51% of the time and shoot 35% on them. The difference between Nebraska and Illinois is that the Cornhuskers don’t try to grab offensive boards. Due to all of their players looking to shoot, crashing the glass isn’t an option.
Nebraska has a trio of shooters who connect 38% of the time or more: Jamarques Lawrence, Pryce Sandfort and Sam Hoiberg. Plus, Rienk Mast is a super-skilled big man who can shoot it.
What the floor spacing creates is room to cut and everyone in Nebraska can pass. That leads to the Huskers shooting 60% from inside the arc.
The Huskers are stout defensively, ranking ninth in adjusted efficiency. Opponents shoot just 48% against their interior, but they hold teams to just 30% from deep.
I question how real their perimeter defense is. They allow opponents to shoot 3s 49% of the time, and teams make just 30% of those. You have to imagine some defensive regression looms for the Huskers.
Plus, I’m worried about how Mast fares against Illinois’s offense. He’s not the most fleet of foot and Illinois makes opponents move.
Illinois vs. Nebraska Betting Analysis
I’m rolling with the Illini on the road here.
Do I think Nebraska is a really good team? For sure. But I think it’s played above its weight so far.
Its ways of winning are very limited due to its lack of second-chance points.
That gives an extra nod to the Illini that I can’t see Nebraska overcoming.
My Pick: Illinois ML +110
