How to Watch: Illinois Basketball at Nebraska (Game 21)

How to Watch
No. 18 Illinois (14-6, 6-4 Big Ten) at Nebraska (12-8, 2-7 Big Ten)
Day and time: Thursday (Jan. 30) at 7:30 p.m. CT
Venue: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Nebraska
TV: FS1
Stream: foxsports.com/live/fs1 | FOX Sports app
Listen: WDWS-AM 1400 (Champaign)
WLS-AM 890 (Chicago)
Illini Sports Network affiliates (other local markets)
Varsity Network app
SiriusXM 372
SXM App 372
Odds and Ends
Illinois vs. Nebraska all time: Illinois leads the series 22-8
Streak: Illinois has won one in a row against Nebraska
Last meeting: Illinois 98, Nebraska 87, (Mar. 16, 2024, Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Probable Illinois starters:
G Kasparas Jakucionis
G Kylan Boswell
G Tre White
F Ben Humrichous
C Morez Johnson Jr.
Meet us at the Pinnacle.
— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) January 29, 2025
đź“… Jan. 30
🆚 Nebraska
⏰ 7:30 p.m. CT
đź“Ť Lincoln, Neb.
đź“ş FS1 pic.twitter.com/ma9I6BGo54
Smart-Fan Stuff
Key stat: 83
Nebraska isn’t the most dynamic three-point shooting team, but the combination of guard Connor Essegian and wing Brice Williams gives the Cornhuskers long-distance weapons that must be accounted for. The pair have knocked down a combined 83 triples, with 51 coming from Essegian and 32 from Williams.
Essegian – a Wisconsin transfer – is knocking down 2.6 threes per game (despite playing only 22.7 minutes per game) and at quite the efficient rate (40.8 percent).
Although Williams prefers to get to the rack or the free-throw line (5.8 attempts per game), the senior wing is hitting 1.6 triples per game, also at a respectable clip (37.2 percent).
Illinois' three-point defense will need another excellent showing to bottle up the pair of shooters and handle its business in what a Big Ten road matchup that, if not taken seriously, is a legit trap game.
Quick tips:
- Nebraska’s three-point defense, which allows opponents to shoot 34.1 percent from deep, ranks second-worst in the Big Ten. Meanwhile, Illinois’ three-point shooting percentage ranks second-worst in the conference. One of those numbers is bound to give, though the Illini are bound to keep shooting them one way or another.
- The Cornhuskers' defense forces 13.0 turnovers per game – a solid rate – and was its peskiest in its two biggest wins of the season: Creighton (17 turnovers) and UCLA (15). In light of Illinois’ turnover woes, especially those of guards Kasparas Jakucionis and Kylan Boswell, the Illini need to stay mindful of overdribbling, sloppy passing and plain old lazy mistakes.
Illinois on SI Prediction
After an up-and-down week that began with an abysmal 91-70 home loss to Maryland and ended in an 83-74 win over Northwestern, the Illini are seeking to string together a pair of wins for the first time in over three weeks.
Nebraska has lost six straight in Big Ten play – two of which came by more than 25 – but was competitive in both of its home defeats (lost by three to Rutgers and five to USC), while winning two conference games at home earlier in the season.
With Illinois’ size, athleticism and top-tier talent, the Illini should be expected to walk into Lincoln and walk out with a win. But the Cornhuskers have the tools to cause the visitors issues – namely Berke Buyuktuncel and Andrew Morgan. Yes, Brice Williams is a load. But the pair of Cornhuskers big men could also spell trouble for an Illinois team that has struggled mightily with opposing bigs in the absence of Tomislav Ivisic (mono), which will continue Thursday.
Although Nebraska has the ability to fill it up, the Cornhuskers don’t have the defensive answers for the Illini's legion of scorers – and, specifically, the wizardry of Jakucionis. Expect a wire-to-wire battle but a narrow win for the visitors.