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Nebraska vs. Northwestern Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Wednesday, Feb. 7 (Back the Wildcats)

College basketball betting preview, prediction and best bet for Nebraska-Northwestern. 

By Shelby Dermer

Jan 31, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Boo Buie (0) dribbles the ball against Purdue.
Jan 31, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Boo Buie (0) dribbles the ball against Purdue. / Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
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Nebraska is in the middle of the pack in the Big 10 and needs to figure out its road woes if it has any chance of making the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2013-14 season. The Cornhuskers are coming off an 87-84 overtime loss at No. 14 Illinois on Sunday and have another chance at a road victory Wednesday when they visit Northwestern. 

Northwestern is fourth in the Big 10 but missed out on a big opportunity last week to bolster its NCAA Tournament resume with overtime losses at Purdue (105-96) and Minnesota (75-66). 

Here is the betting preview of Wednesday’s Big 10 battle with a best bet. 

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Nebraska vs. Northwestern odds, spread and total 

Nebraska vs. Northwestern betting trends

  • Nebraska is 14-9 ATS this season
  • Northwestern is 10-10-2 ATS this season
  • Nebraska is 4-5 ATS as an underdog
  • Northwestern is 6-6-2 ATS as a favorite
  • The OVER is 15-7-1 in Nebraska games this season
  • The OVER is 14-7-1 in Northwestern games this season

Nebraska vs. Northwestern how to watch

  • Date: Wednesday, Feb. 7
  • Game time: 9 p.m. EST
  • Venue: Welsh Ryan Arena
  • How to watch (TV): Big Ten Network
  • Nebraska record: 16-7 (6-6 Big 10)
  • Northwestern record: 15-7 (6-5 Big 10)

Nebraska vs. Northwestern key players to watch

Nebraska

Keisei Tominaga: The third-year guard is in his first season as a full-time starter for the Cornhuskers and is putting up a career-high 13.9 points per game while shooting 37.9% from 3-point range. Tominaga scored just 14 total points on 6-of-23 shooting over a three-game stretch before nearly helping Nebraska upset No. 14 Illinois on Sunday. Tominaga finished with a season-high 31 points on 9-of-14 shooting and nailed five 3-pointers. 

Northwestern

Boo Buie: The 6-foot-2 senior guard is in his fifth season with the Wildcats and is averaging a career-high 18.9 points (fourth in Big 10), 5.5 assists (third in Big 10) and 3.5 rebounds per game. He’s also 10th in the Big 10 in steals. Buie has played 40-plus minutes in back-to-back games in Northwestern’s overtime losses, scoring 45 points and hitting 10 three-pointers with 15 total assists and 10 rebounds. 

Nebraska vs. Northwestern prediction and pick

In the first matchup of the season between these two teams, Nebraska pulled away at the end for a 75-69 home victory. Nebraska shot 55.3% from the field that day and won the rebounding battle, 40-26. Nebraska won the game despite 18 turnovers and that could play a big role in Wednesday’s matchup as Northwestern’s defense is No. 41 in KenPom in turnover percentage. 

It’s one of the only positive metrics for Northwestern’s defense besides its No. 91 spot in efficiency. The Wildcats are No. 261 in effective field goal percentage and No. 311 in defending 3-point shots. Nebraska is top-50 in perimeter shooting and owns the No. 34 overall offense. 

Can Nebraska fix its road troubles? Leaving Lincoln has been an issue for the Cornhuskers, who are just 2-6 ATS and 1-6 straight up on the road this season. Before covering as 10-point underdogs against Illinois, Nebraska had five double-digit road losses this season and were outscored on the road by 10.7 points per game. 

Northwestern’s offense is No. 31 in the nation in KenPom with the No. 29 effective field goal percentage. The Wildcats are one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country, ranking No. 8 in KenPom and No. 2 in the Big 10 (39.3%). Northwestern’s offense doesn’t crash the glass very well (No. 306), but could grab a few second-chance opportunities against a Nebraska team that is No. 228 in defensive rebounding. 

Nebraska’s road struggles are too much to ignore and the Cornhuskers likely won’t shoot lights out like they did in the previous matchup. Lay the points with Northwestern. 

Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.

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