Wisconsin vs. Nebraska Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Thursday, Feb. 1 (Target Total)
By Reed Wallach
Wisconsin is in the midst of a heated race for the top of the Big Ten with a home date with Purdue looming on Sunday, but must first deal with a road trip to Nebraska, who is 13-1 at home this season.
The Cornhuskers are a small home favorite for the visiting Badgers in a battle of two of the best offenses in Big Ten play. These two already played a high scoring affair in January that Wisconsin won 88-72, can the Cornhuskers even the season series with a win in Lincoln?
Here's our betting preview for Wisconsin vs. Nebraska on Thursday night:
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Wisconsin vs. Nebraska Odds, Spread and Total
Nebraska vs. Wisconsin Betting Trends
- Nebraska is 12-9 against the spread (ATS) this season
- Wisconsin is 11-8-1 ATS this season
- Nebraska is 10-4 ATS at home this season
- Nebraska has gone OVER in nine of the last 10 games
Wisconsin vs. Nebraska How to Watch
- Date: Thursday, Feb. 1
- Game Time: 8:30 PM EST
- Venue: Pinnacle Bank Arena
- How to Watch (TV): Big Ten Network
- Wisconsin Record: 16-4
- Nebraska Record: 15-6
Wisconsin vs. Nebraska Key Players to Watch
Wisconsin
AJ Storr: The straw that stirs the drink for Wisconsin's top five offense in terms of KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency. The St. John's transfer is averaging nearly 16 points per game while giving the Badgers an elite wing defender.
Nebraska
Reink Mast: Mast has shown some explosive offensive playmaking as the big man in the middle of a potent Nebraska offense, scoring 34 in a home win against Ohio State last week. He also played a big role in the loss at Wisconsin last month, scoring 16 points and grabbing six rebounds.
Wisconsin vs. Nebraska Prediction and Pick
Both teams have been dynamite from the perimeter in Big Ten play, each shooting above 41% from beyond the arc and enjoying incredible offensive numbers. Like the first meeting between these two, I'm expecting a ton of offensive firepower on display and another over game.
Neither team pressure the ball, each bottom half in turnover rate, and each are willing to give up shots from beyond the arc (Nebraska has the highest opponent three-point rate allowed in Big Ten play this year).
Further, the Cornhuskers really thrive at home in Lincoln. The team is 20th in Bart Torvik's offensive efficiency rating at home this season, and the team has scored at least 75 points in all but two of the 14 games at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Wisconsin's defense does a great job of limiting opponent's second chances, tops in Big Ten defensive rebounding rate, but the team can be had from beyond the arc, allowing a bottom 100 catch-and-shoot 3-point points per possession mark, which feeds right into Nebraska's offense that is generating that type of action at a top 20 rate this season.
I think we'll see plenty of points in this one and I'll go over on Thursday's Big Ten matchup.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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