Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs Nebraska Cornhuskers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/16/25
Betting on today’s Scarlet Knights and Cornhuskers game? Catch the action at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, NE, as the Cornhuskers hosts this showdown at 9:00 ET on FS1. This Big Ten conference matchup has an over/under of 145.5 points, and Nebraska is favored to win by -8.5 at home vs. Rutgers.
RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS VS NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Rutgers Scarlet Knights +8.5
This game will be played at Pinnacle Bank Arena at 9:00 ET on Thursday, January 16th.
WHY BET THE RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Cornhuskers.
- Even though we have Nebraska winning straight-up, we like Rutgers at +8.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 145.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.
Will Rutgers Shock Everyone at Pinnacle Bank Arena?
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Recent Game/Games
Rutgers improved to 9-8 on the season with a 75-68 win over UCLA on Monday, January 13th. The Scarlet Knights were +4 underdogs heading into the game but not only pulled off the upset at home, they also covered the spread.
Trailing 33-30 at halftime, Rutgers turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring UCLA 45-35. The total points for the game ended at 143, going over the pre-game line of 137.5.
Rutgers put up 75 points in their latest game, shooting 46.2% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 51.9%, with strong two-point shooting at 56.2% (18/32). The Scarlet Knights also hit 67.7% of their free throws, going 21-for-31 from the line.
Ace Bailey led the way with 20 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 53.8% overall. Dylan Harper added 18 points, though he shot just 38.5% from the field. Eric Dailey Jr. and Sebastian Mack each contributed 16 points, with Dailey shooting 53.3% and Mack hitting 50% of his shots. Kobe Johnson was efficient, shooting 62.5% from the field and 50% from three-point range.
Rutgers gave up 68 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 46% from the field. They allowed 56% shooting on two-point attempts, as the other team went 18/32.
From beyond the arc, Rutgers held the opposing team to 30% shooting, with 6 made threes on 20 attempts. They also sent the other team to the line 31 times, where they hit 21 free throws for 67%. Rutgers allowed 11 offensive rebounds.
Can the Cornhuskers Please their Home Crowd?
Nebraska Cornhuskers Recent Game/Games
Nebraska’s season record dropped to 12-4 after a tough 104-68 road loss to Purdue on Sunday. Entering the game as +8 point underdogs, the Cornhuskers not only lost but failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points soared past the 140.5 O/U line, finishing at 172.
Nebraska trailed 45-28 at halftime and couldn’t turn things around in the 2nd half, scoring 40 points but allowing 59. The Cornhuskers will need to regroup after this lopsided loss.
Nebraska’s offense put up 68 points in their last game, shooting 48.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.7%. They were dominant inside, hitting 74.1% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, making just 22.2% of their threes (6/27). At the free-throw line, they were nearly perfect, converting 10 of 11 attempts (90.9%).
C.J. Cox led the way, scoring 23 points in 22 minutes, shooting 81.8% overall and 71.4% from three (5/7). Fletcher Loyer also hit 5 threes, shooting 83.3% from deep and finishing with 19 points. Trey Kaufman-Renn contributed 15 points and a team-high 7 assists, shooting 77.8% from the field.
Despite Nebraska’s defensive efforts, they allowed 104 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 63% from the field. This included a 68% success rate from two-point range, where they hit 22 of 32 shots.
The Cornhuskers also struggled to contain the three-point line, giving up 19 threes on 33 attempts, a 57% shooting clip. From the free-throw line, the opposing team went 3/6.