Hoosiers vs. Cornhuskers Pick: Big 10 Tournament Quarterfinal Preview

Indiana Hoosiers (19-13 SU, 15-15 ATS) vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers (22-9, 20-11), 3/15/24
When: 9 pm ET Friday, March 15
Where: Target Center
TV: BTN
Spread: Ind +3.5/Neb -3.5
Over/under: 146.5

Quarterfinal play in the Big 10 Conference tournament concludes when Nebraska, the No. 4 seed, plays No. 6 Indiana Friday night in Minneapolis.

The Hoosiers just won a tough, close second-round game on Thursday while the Cornhuskers rested on a bye.

How are we playing this game with our free college basketball betting pick?

NCAAB Betting Odds

Friday’s CBB betting market opened Nebraska at -3.5 over Indiana, with an over/under of right around 146. Both figures were holding steady in the early betting action.

Indiana-Nebraska Betting Preview

The Hoosiers reached this Big 10 tournament quarterfinal by beating Penn State in a second-round game Thursday 61-59. Neither team ever led that game by more than nine points. In the end Indiana broke a 59-59 tie with a put-back bucket with seven seconds left, then survived a Penn State 3-point attempt as time ran out.

The Hoosiers only shot 39 percent from the floor Thursday night but held Penn State to just 28 percent FG shooting. Maybe that’s why the game played way under a total of 146.

Back a month ago Indiana lost four games in a row, including an 85-70 decision to this Nebraska team. But the Hoosiers then finished their regular season with a 4-0 run. So Indiana rides a five-game winning streak into Friday night.

However, at 19-13 overall the Hoosiers probably need at least a run to the conference tournament championship game to even catch some minor NCAA tournament attention.

Meanwhile, the Cornhuskers reached Friday’s quarterfinal action by going 12-8 in Big 10 play this season to earn a double bye for this conference tournament. Nebraska started 7-0 this season, then struggled through a 9-8 stretch. But the ‘Huskers finished with a 6-1 run, including an 85-70 win over Michigan in the season finale last Sunday.

Nebraska is coming off its best regular season and best Big 10 campaign in five seasons under Coach Hoiberg. At 22-9 overall, the Cornhuskers are very likely, regardless of Friday night’s outcome, to receive an invite to the Big Dance for the first time in 10 years.

Indiana-Nebraska Recent History

The Hoosiers beat the ‘Huskers seven times in a row through last season but Nebraska swept two games from Indiana this season by scores of 86-70 in Lincoln and 85-70 in Bloomington.

The Cornhuskers led both those games at one point by 22, and the most they ever trailed the Hoosiers by was five points.

Also, both those games played over a total of 151.

College Basketball Betting Trends

Nebraska is 5-1 ATS this season when favored by six points or less.

Totals Report

Overs are 16-15 in Hoosiers games this season, which are averaging 147 total points..

Overs are 20-11 in Cornhuskers games, which are averaging 146 points.

Free College Basketball Betting Pick

We give Nebraska the edge on defense and on the boards, and they take a little better care of the ball. Also, the Cornhuskers are shooting 75 percent from the free-throw line, which is a good way to close out games and cover spreads. The Huskers have already outplayed Indiana twice this season. We’re betting on Nebraska Friday night.