The Rutgers Scarlet Knights take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln, NE. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on FS1.
Nebraska is favored by 8.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -380. The total is set at 145.5 points.
Here are my Rutgers vs. Nebraska predictions and college basketball picks for January 16, 2025.
Rutgers vs Nebraska Prediction
My Pick: Nebraska -8.5 (Play to -9.5)
My Rutgers vs Nebraska best bet is on the Cornhuskers spread, with the best odds currently available at DraftKings. For all of your college basketball bets, find the best lines using our live NCAAB odds page.
Rutgers vs Nebraska Odds
| Rutgers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+8.5 -110 | 145.5 -108o / -112u | +300 |
| Nebraska Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-8.5 -110 | 145.5 -108o / -112u | -380 |
- Rutgers vs Nebraska spread: Nebraska -8.5
- Rutgers vs Nebraska over/under: 145.5 points
- Rutgers vs Nebraska moneyline: Nebraska -380, Rutgers +300
- Rutgers vs Nebraska best bet: Nebraska -8.5 (Play to -9.5)
Spread
I'm backing the Huskers on the spread as three-possession home favorites.
Moneyline
I'm passing on the moneyline.
Over/Under
I'm passing on the over/under.
My Pick: Nebraska -8.5 (Play to -9.5)
Rutgers vs Nebraska College Basketball Betting Preview
Thursday is a home-run situational spot for the Cornhuskers.
Nebraska returns home due for a big bounce back after back-to-back brutal road losses to Iowa and Purdue, the former coming in overtime.
I also suspect the Huskers will see some game-to-game positive shooting variance, given the Hawkeyes and Boilermakers shot a combined 36-for-68 (53%) from 3 against them in those two matchups.
Meanwhile, Rutgers pulled off a much-needed upset win over UCLA on Monday, but the Scarlet Knights now travel for the first time in nearly a month.
They’re 0-3 straight up and against the spread in true road games this season — including a loss to Kennesaw State and two double-digit conference losses — so I’m not bullish on their chances in a letdown spot.
Nebraska will pack it in on defense (358th nationally in 3-point rate allowed), subjecting the Huskers to crazy game-to-game variance.
However, that defensive scheme might play against Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights are an interior-based offense (277th nationally in 3-point rate, 35%), and they'll primarily create in transition, isolation or ball-screens with Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey.
Meanwhile, the Cornhuskers deny the paint and post as well as any college basketball team (24 paint PPG allowed, 96th percentile) while blowing up any ball-screen (.60 PPP allowed, 95th percentile) or isolation (.51 PPP allowed, 98th percentile) actions.
I’m a little iffy on Nebraska’s transition defense, but the Cornhuskers aren’t awful in transition denial (eight fast-break PPG allowed, 81st percentile).
Ultimately, I don’t love the Scarlet Knights’ chances of posting a crooked number on the road in a tough schematic matchup.
I’m having a more challenging time breaking down the matchup on the other end of the court.
The Scarlet Knights have struggled mightily on defense, but that’s mainly because nobody can stay in front of the dribble, and their rim defense has fallen off a cliff in the post-Clifford Omoruyi era.
Nebraska doesn’t create on-ball, as Fred Hoiberg prefers to run more off-ball creation through a dribble-handoff hub.
Meanwhile, Rutgers has been well above average at defending secondary actions this year (.64 handoff PPP allowed, 83rd percentile; .80 off-ball screen PPP allowed, 70th percentile).
Also, it’s hard to trust Nebraska’s offense when Brice Williams isn’t hitting everything. There aren’t a ton of other viable options, which is why he’s averaging nearly 19 points per game.
That said, Nebraska’s offense is a different beast at Pinnacle Bank, as the Cornhuskers' offensive rating jumps from 100 on the road to 116 at home. That partially explains why they’re 7-3 ATS at home.
It’s also always worth playing Big Ten home-court advantage. Blindly backing home teams in conference play has produced a 4% ROI over the past decade.
Given the strong situational spot and half-decent schematic matchup, I’ll bank on Nebraska picking up a double-digit home win against a Rutgers team due for another road letdown.
