The Michigan Wolverines (5-3, 0-0 Big Ten) and Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-4, 0-1) tussle in a Tuesday night Big Ten game in Lincoln, Neb. The battle at Pinnacle Bank Arena is slated to tip off at 7 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Michigan vs. Nebraska odds and lines and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Rankings courtesy of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Michigan is coming off a 72-58 non-conference win over San Diego State on Saturday. The Wolverines drained a season-high 11 3-pointers in an 11-of-20 performance from distance. Seven-foot-1 C Hunter Dickinson went 3-of-3 from beyond the arc; he tallied 23 points and 14 rebounds in what marked a bounce-back UM win after a Dec. 1 loss to North Carolina.
The Cornhuskers went into December on a four-game winning streak but have since dropped road games against NC State and Indiana. Nebraska shot just 40.1% from the field over those two losses. The Huskers are shooting just 27.1% from 3-point range; that ranks 340th of 358 NCAA-I teams.
Michigan at Nebraska odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:30 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Michigan -350 (bet $350 to win $100) | Nebraska +265 (bet $100 to win $265)
- Against the spread (ATS): Michigan -7.5 (-110) | Nebraska +7.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 140.5 (O: -115 | U: -107)
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Michigan at Nebraska odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Michigan 70, Nebraska 65
Money line
The tags here are buffered from any profit leverage. Nebraska would be the closest in proximity to some value, but the price would have to be closer to a +320 to warrant any action. PASS.
Against the spread
Michigan has been just shaky enough in a couple recent games away from the Crisler Center to make the Wolverines a slight fade at this point spread. Saturday’s win against the Aztecs was in a game played in a two-score box for nearly 30 minutes. A youthful UM can be a little loose with the ball (KenPom.com rates Michigan 259th in turnover percentage), and the slower-paced Wolverines may well be content to choke down the pace of a two-score lead in this one.
Freshman G Bryce McGowens is coming off a clunker at Indiana, but he gives Nebraska a dynamic look and is a match-up issue for UM’s defense. McGowens is averaging 17.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game through his first nine games.
A return home makes NEBRASKA +7.5 (-110) a low-to-moderate-confidence play.
Over/Under
We get a clash of styles here with slow-tempo Michigan taking on fast-paced Nebraska. Look for the non-conference ‘Husker speed to settle down in Big Ten play, and it does look like the public is a little slow to respond. Last year for instance, when conference play started, UN games hit the Under in three straight on the way to a 5-2 stretch.
Any kind of off night by Michigan and this game could settle closer to 130. TAKE THE UNDER 140.5 (-107).
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