Nebraska Cornhuskers vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Rutgers vs Nebraska NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Lincoln.

Rutgers vs Nebraska Prediction

Looking to win big? The Scarlet Knights and Cornhuskers face off at 9:00 ET on FS1. The Cornhuskers are hosting the game at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, NE. The over/under for this Big Ten conference contest is set at 145.5 points, with Nebraska being favored by -8.5 at home against Rutgers.

Rutgers vs. Nebraska Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Nebraska Cornhuskers
Where: Lincoln at Pinnacle Bank Arena
Date: Thursday, January 16th
Betting Odds NEBR -8.5, RUTGER +306 | NEBR -408 O/U 145.5

Scarlet Knights Preview: Does Rutgers Have What it Takes on the Road?

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Recent Game/Games

The Scarlet Knights improved to 9-8 on the season with a 75-68 win over UCLA on Monday. Rutgers, who were +4 point underdogs, not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

Rutgers trailed 33-30 at halftime but turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring UCLA 45-35. The game’s total points of 143 went over the pre-game O/U line of 137.5.

Scarlet Knights Offense Breakdown

Rutgers put up 75 points in their latest game, shooting 46.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 51.9%. They hit 56.2% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 30% of their threes (6/20). At the free-throw line, the Scarlet Knights went 21/31, good for 67.7%.

Ace Bailey led the way with 20 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 53.8% overall, though he made just 1 of 4 from three. Dylan Harper added 18 points, despite shooting 38.5% from the field and 28.6% from deep. Eric Dailey Jr. and Sebastian Mack each contributed 16 points, with Dailey missing all 3 of his three-point attempts, while Mack hit 1 of 2 from long range.

Scarlet Knights Team Defense

Rutgers gave up 68 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 46% from the field. They allowed 18 two-point baskets on 56% shooting.

From beyond the arc, Rutgers held the other team to 30% shooting, with 6 made threes. The Scarlet Knights also put them on the line 31 times, where they made 21 free throws.

Cornhuskers Preview: Does Nebraska Have a Shot at a Home Win?

Nebraska Cornhuskers Recent Game/Games

Nebraska’s season record dropped to 12-4 following a 104-68 loss to Purdue on Sunday. The Cornhuskers were +8 point underdogs going into the game but failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 45-28 at halftime, Nebraska allowed 59 points in the 2nd half while scoring 40 of their own. The total points for the game ended at 172, well over the 140.5 O/U line.

Cornhuskers Offense Breakdown

Nebraska's offense put up 68 points in their last game, shooting 48.1% from the field. They were dominant inside, hitting 74.1% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 22.2% of their threes. Their effective field goal percentage was 53.7%.

At the free-throw line, the Cornhuskers were nearly perfect, making 10 of 11 attempts. They grabbed just 4 offensive rebounds and finished with 15 assists. C.J. Cox led the way with 23 points, hitting 5 of 7 threes, while Fletcher Loyer added 19 points, going 5 for 6 from deep.

Cornhuskers Team Defense

Nebraska's defense struggled, giving up 104 points on 63% shooting from the field. They allowed 41 made baskets on 65 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Nebraska allowed 19 threes on 33 attempts, a 57% shooting rate.

Scarlet Knights vs Cornhuskers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across the Scarlet Knights last five road games, the team averaged 78 points per game while allowing 84. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 1-3-1, while going 1-4 straight-up.
Through their last ten home games, Nebraska has an ATS record of just 5-5. However, their overall record was 5-5 while averaging 74 points per game.
As the betting underdog, the Scarlet Knights have an ATS mark of just 1-4 in their last five games. Rutgers posted a straight up mark of 1-4 in these matchups.
Through their last five games as the favorite, the Cornhuskers have an ATS record of 5-0 and a straight up mark of 5-0.