Rivalry Renewed: Nebraska vs Northwestern Big Ten Preview
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Nebraska Cornhuskers (17-0, 6-0) and Northwestern Wildcats (8-9, 0-6) will clash in this Big Ten matchup on Saturday, January 17, at 4 pm at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois.
It’s the first meeting of the season between the two programs. The Huskers and Wildcats have a competitive history in basketball. The rivalry is tense. We have seen close contests and dramatic finishes between these two teams. Northwestern has won 13 of its 22 meetings. The team has done well against Nebraska, especially during the late 2010s and even early 2000s.
However, the Huskers won the last meeting 68-64 on February 18, 2025. In that game, the Huskies led as many as 20. Nebraska came back and outscored them 47-28 in the second half.
The Huskers are one of the three unbeaten teams in the nation. It’s their best start in program history. The Huskers and Purdue Boilermakers are the only two Big Ten teams to be undefeated in conference play. The Wildcats are not having their most incredible season in program history, but Nebraska finds a way to bring out the best in Northwestern.
The Wildcats are trying to snap a four-game losing streak. The Huskers recently dominated Oregon Ducks with a 90-55 victory on Tuesday. Junior Pryce Sandfort is the leading scorer for Nebraska with 16.4 points per game. He scored 28 points against the Ducks.
Freshman forward Branden Frager is the second leading scorer. He leads the team in rebounds with 4.1 per game. Frager added 23 points against the Ducks in 30 minutes.
The Wildcats are among the best teams in ball movement. They rank seventh in the Big Ten in assists. Northwestern is a good road team, but has much better success at home. They’re 6-3 this season at home.
Nick Martinelli has been the main guy for Northwestern. He’s averaging 23.7 points and six boards a game. Although he’s perfect in the last couple of games, he needs help. The Wildcats must get him support from the other guys to score points.
Arrinten Lage and Jayden Reid will need to score more points against Nebraska. They must do a little more if Northwestern is going to have a chance to win this game.
One player who could be a surprise if the coach gives him minutes and boosts his confidence is freshman Jake West. The Wildcats will need a secret weapon to get them some three-pointers.
It may be a battle between No. 1 and No. 16, but anything can happen on Saturday afternoon in Illinois. There’s nothing like playing a home game in front of passionate Wildcats fans. Prediction: Northwestern wins 82-80.
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