Nebraska vs. Illinois Preview, Picks and Prediction, Saturday, December 13, 2025
Use Code WWWC On Saturday, the 23rd-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers will visit the 13th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center, and we have you ready to go with our Nebraska vs. Illinois prediction, odds, and preview. Tip-off from Champaign, IL, is at 4:00 p.m. ET.
The Illini are 8.5-point favorites, and the game total is 154.5 points.
The Cornhuskers beat the Fighting Illini 80-74 in overtime in their lone matchup last season. Illinois won the previous nine games (5-5 ATS), and the over/under was split 5-5 in those games. If you want the Nebraska vs. Illinois prediction, read on to get our top NCAAB predictions and increase your bankroll!
Nebraska has tied its best start in school history
Nebraska (10-0 SU, 6-4 ATS, and 4-6 O/U) beat Wisconsin 90-60 in its last game, covering the spread as 2.5-point favorites. The Huskers shot 54 percent overall, scoring 44 points in the paint. They enter Saturday's matchup on a hot streak after lopsided wins over in-state rival Creighton and the Badgers. Nebraska averages 83.9 points per game (141st) on 48.2 percent shooting (77th), and its opponents score 67.1 points per game (41st) on 37.5 percent shooting (16th).
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The Cornhuskers were picked to finish 14th (out of 18 teams) in the media's Big Ten preseason poll. Leading scorer Brice Williams is gone (20.4 PPG), along with three of last season's other five top scorers. That certainly hasn't stopped them from scoring plenty of points this season, as head coach Fred Hoiberg (44-25 record in the previous two seasons) has assembled a talented squad. Nebraska added several quality transfers, but also returns a few key contributors eager to make a bigger impact this year.
Senior forward Rienk Mast leads the Huskers in scoring, averaging 18.0 points on 54.6 percent shooting. He also averages 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. A few other Nebraska players to watch against Illinois are Iowa transfer forward Pryce Sandfort (15.6 PPG and 5.4 RPG), freshman forward Braden Frager (11.9 PPG and 4.3 RPG), and senior guard Jamarques Lawrence (8.6 PPG and 3.9 APG). The Cornhuskers rank 45th in offensive efficiency and 25th in defensive efficiency, per KenPom.
Nebraska Cornhuskers Injury Report:
- G Connor Essegian (10.7 PPG last season) is out for the remainder of the season with an ankle injury.
Fighting Illini have bounced back from loss to UConn
Illinois (8-2 SU, 5-4-1 ATS, and 3-7 O/U) defeated Ohio State 88-80 in its last game, covering the spread as 3.5-point favorites. The Illini shot 41 percent from beyond the arc and knocked down 29 of their 32 free throws to escape Columbus with their first conference win. U of I averages 88.6 points per game (74th) on 47.8 percent shooting (86th), and its opponents score 70.4 points per game (85th) on 40.5 percent shooting (70th).
The Fighting Illini were picked to finish fourth in the media's Big Ten preseason poll. Leading scorer Kasparas Jakucionis is gone (NBA), along with forward Will Riley (NBA), guard Tre White (Kansas), and Morez Johnson Jr. (Michigan), but head coach Brad Underwood (173-103 record in Champaign) has a talented roster capable of scoring a ton of points. Illinois added several quality transfers and freshmen, but also returns three starters from last season's NCAA Tournament team.
Senior guard Kylan Boswell leads the Fighting Illini into action, averaging 15.7 points on 46.7 percent shooting. He also averages 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists. A few other Illinois stars to watch against Nebraska are Cal transfer guard Andrej Stojakovic (15.1 PPG and 3.4 RPG), freshman forward David Mirkovic (14.6 PPG and 9.5 RPG), and freshman guard Keaton Wagler (14.7 PPG and 5.2 RPG). The Illini are solid on both ends of the court, ranking 5th in offensive efficiency and 23rd in defensive efficiency, per KenPom.
Illinois Fighting Illini Injury Report:
- No new injuries to report.
Nebraska vs. Illinois Pick and Preview
Spread Pick for Nebraska vs. Illinois
- Cornhuskers +8.5 (5 Units)
The Fighting Illini are giving too many points to cover the spread on Saturday. I'm not convinced their shooters will hit enough threes to cover, as Boswell (30.4%) and Stojakovic (24.0%) have really struggled from long range. While they have several other quality three-point threats, the Cornhuskers really force teams to live or die by three, as their opponents average the fourth-highest three-point attempt rate and the lowest near-proximity attempt rate in the country. That hasn't worked out well for them, especially their last two (Creighton shot 24% from three with 12 points in the paint, and Wisconsin shot 22% from three with 24 points in the paint).
I believe the Cornhuskers have plenty of offensive firepower, as well. Their leading scorer, Mast, is efficient, and the Huskers' top five contributors all shoot 37 percent or higher from beyond the arc. That's crucial for them, as Nebraska averages the 11th-most three-point attempts (31.7 per game) in college basketball. While they don't force many shots at the rim, the Cornhuskers also lead the NCAAB in near-proximity shooting percentage (75.5%) versus the average opponent, per Haslametrics.
Illinois hasn't been dominant enough to take its side ATS as 8.5-point favorites, and Nebraska has more momentum than any team today. Take the Huskers' side on Saturday in this Big Ten battle in Champaign!
Over/Under Pick for Nebraska vs. Illinois
- Under 154.5 (4 Units)
I prefer the under, which is a combined 13-7 in these teams' games this season, in this matchup.
The Huskers will hit enough shots to compete, but the Illini are too talented defensively to allow the visitors to turn this into a shootout. Illinois is also slower-paced and will look to dictate the tempo at home. While the Cornhuskers will likely force them into too many threes, I'm certain the home team won't abandon its interior scoring attack. They will be comfortable enough to take their time in the half-court to get the basketball inside, running down the shot clock on most of their possessions, especially after halftime. Both of these teams take good care of the ball, too (ranking 27th and 45th in turnovers per game).
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