The Nebraska Cornhuskers take on the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on Peacock.
Michigan is favored by 9.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -550. Nebraska, meanwhile, enters as a +9.5 underdog and is +400 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 153.5 total points.
Here’s my Nebraska vs. Michigan prediction and college basketball picks for Tuesday, January 27.
Nebraska vs Michigan Prediction
My Pick: Nebraska +8.5 or Better
My Nebraska vs Michigan best bet is on the Cornhuskers to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Nebraska vs Michigan Odds
| Nebraska Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9.5 -110 | 153.5 -110o / -110u | +400 |
| Michigan Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9.5 -110 | 153.5 -110o / -110u | -550 |
- Nebraska vs Michigan Spread: Michigan -9.5
- Nebraska vs Michigan Over/Under: 153.5 points
- Nebraska vs Michigan Moneyline: Nebraska +400, Michigan -550
Nebraska vs Michigan College Basketball Betting Preview
Once Michigan got rolling and established itself as one of the best teams in college basketball this season, many eyes drifted toward the Wolverines' trip to face rival Michigan State on Friday, Jan. 30.
Few expected the game to be as critical and hyped as it is.
However, Nebraska enters this game undefeated at 20-0, having faced a top-50 schedule and beating 13 KenPom top-100 teams.
The Huskers boast the nation's longest active winning streak — 24 games dating back to last season, which ended with Nebraska winning the College Basketball Crown tournament.
Michigan is no slouch either, entering this matchup at 18-1 against one of the country's toughest schedules. The Wolverines have faced just one team ranked lower than 160th by KenPom, and won that game by 52 points.
These teams are on a collision course atop the Big Ten standings. Get your popcorn ready.
Nebraska Basketball
Fred Hoiberg's team rode a roller-coaster last season.
The Huskers lost six straight Big Ten games in January, then rebounded to the bubble by winning 5-of-6, only to drop their last five and miss out on the NCAA Tournament.
The Huskers won the inaugural College Basketball Crown tournament, carrying a little momentum into this season.
Star big man Rienk Mast returned, to be joined by a roster that makes sense both on paper and on the hardwood.
The key offseason addition was Pryce Sandfort, who left Iowa after the Hawkeyes made a coaching change. He's dropping 17 points per game while shooting 42% from long range, on more than eight attempts.
Any help defense on Mast in the middle leaves Sandfort with the space and time to get his release off.
Jamarques Lawrence boomeranged from Nebraska to Rhode Island for a year before returning to Nebraska for his senior season, where he's been great, like a 27-point outburst that fueled a road win at Indiana.
Coach's son, Sam Hoiberg, runs the offense at point guard and averages two steals per game.
One key contributor may miss this game. Freshman Braden Frager missed Nebraska's last game with a sprained ankle and remains day-to-day.
The Huskers handled Minnesota without Frager, but he's Nebraska's third-leading scorer. His absence would have an impact here.
Michigan Basketball
Michigan's success this season has been about much more than a stat or two, but if you wanted to boil down how good the Wolverines have been on both ends of the floor, there's a quick and easy way to do so.
Michigan leads the nation in 2-point field-goal shooting percentage on both ends of the court. The Wolverines make 64.3% of their 2-point attempts. Their opponents make just 41.1% of their 2-point attempts.
That's a massive advantage in the paint in every game.
Dig deeper, and the cause and effects are clear. Michigan's opponents shoot the longest average 2-pointers, at 7.7 feet from the rim.
So much of that is due to the rim protection of UCLA transfer Aday Mara. He leads the Big Ten in blocks per game at 2.7 and block rate at 14.1%.
He's affecting every shot in or around the paint when he's in the game. That also allows the perimeter defenders in front of him to be more aggressive and play knowing they have a fly swatter behind them at the rim.
Offensively, Michigan does just the opposite.
The Wolverines attack the rim, looking for downhill drives into space with cutters and dunkers ready at the rim to finish, off a pass, lob or missed shot for a putback.
With eight players averaging more than 7.5 points per game, Michigan has a balanced, nuanced attack that's very difficult for a defensive game-planner.
Nebraska vs. Michigan Betting Analysis
Michigan may still be priced based on the reputation earned a few months ago.
Around Thanksgiving and into early December, this was the best team in the country. Six straight wins, by massive blowout margins, against San Diego State, Auburn, Gonzaga, Rutgers, Villanova and Maryland made that clear.
That juggernaut has slowed down in Big Ten play.
Michigan lost to Wisconsin, thanks to a bonkers outlier shooting night from the Badgers, and needed a last-minute escape to beat a dreadful Penn State team. The Wolverines trailed Ohio State and Oregon into the second half.
Some of that is the rigors of true road games and Big Ten competition. Some is shooting regression. Michigan made 39% of its 3s prior to Christmas but just 29% since.
That's critical in this game because Fred Hoiberg seems happy to allow other teams to let 3s fly. Nebraska sits in the bottom five in the country in 3-point rate allowed and percentage of points allowed on 3-pointers.
That's a risk, especially facing a Michigan team looking to bounce back after some down shooting nights.
Given how well Michigan attacks the paint, that may actually be a sound strategy here. Nebraska's going to gamble on the Wolverines' outside shooting, and I am as well, at least at this number.
Sure, if Michigan gets hot, this could become a blowout, but I trust Hoiberg and his team of veterans to claw out a close one on the road.
My Pick: Nebraska +9.5 (Play to +8.5)
