Northwestern @ Nebraska preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 2, 2018 ) Nebraska 70, Northwestern 55

Nebraska attempts to start a winning streak Saturday night against visiting Northwestern after ending its seven-game slide earlier this week with a dramatic one-point victory. Northwestern carries into the matchup a five-game skid that includes two recent losses by a total of four points.

James Palmer Jr. kept Nebraska from another loss by making two free throws with 1.1 seconds left in the 62-61 victory over Minnesota on Wednesday night. With 24 points, Palmer scored 20 or more for the 12th time this season. Shooting woes have plagued the Cornhuskers, but they shot 50 percent from the floor for the first time since December against the Golden Gophers. Northwestern fell at home 59-56 to Rutgers on Wednesday night after losing 80-79 at No. 17 Iowa on Sunday on a 3-pointer with sixth-tenths of a second left.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (12-12, 3-10 Big Ten): The Wildcats need an infusion of confidence especially after having two chances to take the lead in the final 13 seconds against Rutgers and blowing a 15-point lead in the final 4:14 against Iowa. Senior Vic Law leads the team in scoring (15.5 points per game) and steals (1.1 per game) and is second in rebounding (6.7) and assists (2.9). Fellow senior Dererk Pardon averages 13.7 points and leads the team in rebounding (7.6).

ABOUT NEBRASKA (14-11, 4-10): Nebraska's Glenn Watson Jr. emerged from a scoring drought with 19 points, one below his season high, in Wednesday's win over Minnesota and combined with Palmer for 43 of the Cornhuskers' 62 points. Thomas Allen returned to the starting lineup and led the team in rebounds with a career-high nine and added seven points. One of Nebraska's strengths this season has been its ability to avoid turnovers with only 10 per game, which ranks seventh nationally and puts the Cornhuskers on pace for a school record.

TIP-INS

1. Nebraska is hitting 44 percent of its shots from the field in its last two games after shooting 33 percent and averaging 58.8 points in six games before that.

2. Palmer is one of the Big Ten's top all-around players (third in scoring, tied for ninth in steals, 10th in free throw percentage) and could become the first Nebraska player since Tyronn Lue in 1997-98 to average 20.0 points per game in a season.

3. Pardon has a track record of effectiveness against Nebraska, averaging 16.6 points and 11.4 rebounds while shooting 71.9 percent from the floor in five games.

PREDICTION: Nebraska 77, Northwestern 64