The Nebraska Cornhuskers take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
Nebraska is favored by 5.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -245. The total is set at 137.5 points.
Here’s my Nebraska vs. Minnesota prediction and college basketball picks for January 24, 2026.
Nebraska vs Minnesota Prediction
My Pick: Minnesota +5.5
My Nebraska vs Minnesota best bet is on the Golden Gophers 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. Minnesota Odds
| Nebraska Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -110 | 137.5 -110 / -110 | -245 |
| Minnesota Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -110 | 137.5 -110 / -110 | +200 |
- Nebraska vs Minnesota spread: Nebraska -5.5
- Nebraska vs Minnesota over/under: 137.5 points
- Nebraska vs Minnesota moneyline: Nebraska -245, Minnesota +200
Nebraska vs Minnesota College Basketball Betting Preview
Nebraska Basketball
Nebraska has been one of the best surprises of the season, having won 19 consecutive games. Head coach Fred Hoiberg, who's in his seventh season at the helm, is one of the frontrunners for the Naismith College Coach of the Year award, as the Cornhuskers remain one of just three undefeated teams nationally.
In 2024-25, Nebraska earned its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2014, largely due to the offensive philosophy Hoiberg had implemented after spending several years with the Chicago Bulls. His NBA experience has certainly reaped rewards for a Cornhuskers team that currently ranks seventh in the latest AP Poll.
Hoiberg’s offense has been unstoppable thus far, with the Cornhuskers posting 81 points per game over the first two months of the season. Nebraska also ranks just outside the top 20 in the country in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.
A large part of Nebraska’s success this season has been due to the overall effectiveness of its frontcourt on both ends of the floor.
Leading the way for a well-balanced Cornhuskers offense is junior forward Pryce Sandfort. The Iowa transfer is scoring just shy of 17 points per game, while also posting over four rebounds on the glass.
Sanford contributes far more than his ability to score in the paint, as he has a spectacular stroke from beyond the arc. At 3.4 3-pointers made per contest, he ranks 17th in the entire country, while also converting on over 40% of his attempts.
Alongside Sanford in Nebraska’s frontcourt, forwards Rienk Mast and Braden Frager both have been very efficient scoring inside the lane and are vital rim protectors on the other side of the floor. The Cornhuskers are stout defensively, and they rank 13th in the country in defensive efficiency, via KenPom.
Hoiberg’s bunch is stellar on both ends of the floor, ranking in the top 15 in both offense and defense, a characteristic that should have substantial benefits as the Cornhuskers prepare for their second consecutive NCAA Tournament bid.
Minnesota Basketball
Minnesota enters Saturday’s matchup with Nebraska in the comfort of its own building. The Golden Gophers will surely be looking to improve on their 10-9 overall record with a Big Ten victory after losing four consecutive contests.
Niko Medved is in his first season at Minnesota after Richard Pitino accepted a position this offseason to become Xavier’s next head coach. Medved is coming off a very successful stint as head coach at Colorado State, leading the Rams to three NCAA Tournament appearances over his seven-year tenure in Fort Collins.
Medved’s Gophers had a pretty decent start to his rookie campaign, winning 10 of their first 15 games and posting a 2-0 Big Ten record in that span. Unfortunately, Minnesota’s NCAA Tournament chances have dwindled, losing four conference games in a row.
Taking down the country’s fifth-ranked team could certainly put Minnesota back into the “bubble” conversation as a potential at-large bid.
Medved had a lot of success implementing his offensive schemes in his previous coaching tenures at Colorado State, Furman and Drake — he's had sizable difficulty replicating that scoring potential over a far more difficult Big Ten schedule.
In its first 19 games of the 2026 season, Minnesota ranks outside the top 100 in college basketball in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.
While the Golden Gophers' offense has been relatively stagnant, its backcourt has definitely served as a proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.
The Minnesota offense is led by 6-foot-7 senior guard Cade Tyson. The former Belmont Bruin is posting over 20 points per game and is lighting it up from beyond the arc, converting 40% of his 3-point attempts.
6-foot-8 forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson has also been spectacular for the Gophers over his first season with the team. The junior is coming off three consecutive 20-point performances, while also dominating the glass, recording eight rebounds in each of those three contests.
The Minnesota forward is posting over 14 points per game, along with seven rebounds.
Crocker-Johnson has excelled on both ends of the floor, making big strides defensively as a major rim-protector. Medved’s Gophers have been better defensively, ranking just outside the top 50 in the country in defensive efficiency rating.
Nebraska vs. Minnesota Betting Analysis
Saturday’s Big Ten matchup will have major implications for both teams, as Nebraska continues its quest to remain undefeated, while Medved’s bunch seeks to keep its tournament hopes alive.
Minnesota will certainly require a near-perfect offensive performance in order to hand the Cornhuskers their first loss of the season. Over the course of the 2025-26 season, the Golden Gophers are averaging just over 72 points per game.
If they're able to match Nebraska’s offensive firepower, this matchup could play closer than the market projects.
I think Nebraska is due for regression, and its first loss will likely come sooner rather than later, but I just don't envision Minnesota being able to defend Hoiberg’s offensive schemes, which have prevailed over the likes of Michigan State, Illinois and Wisconsin.
In such a spot, I typically fade the undefeated team, which is inevitably due for some regression and its first loss.
I haven't been impressed with a Minnesota team that has lost four consecutive games, but with Frager leaving Nebraska's last contest with an injury, the Golden Gophers may be catching the country's fifth-ranked team at the perfect time.
I will reluctantly back Minnesota catching 5.5 points, and wouldn't be surprised if it hands Nebraska its first loss of the season.
My Pick: Minnesota +5.5
