Minnesota vs Northwestern Prediction 2/25/25 College Basketball Picks Today

In this article, we will formulate a Minnesota vs Northwestern Prediction for this college basketball game on Tuesday,  February 25th, at Williams Arena. Let’s take a look at a Minnesota Golden Gophers vs Northwestern Wildcats pick. 

The home team has won the last five games played between the two squads. 

Can Minnesota be Trusted?

The answer to whether Minnesota can be trusted is simple; no, they can’t be. After back-to-back impressive wins against UCLA and USC, the Gophers returned home to face off against a terrible Penn State team, and they ended up losing 69-60. At halftime, they were only down by two, but in the second half, the defense gave up 41 points, which led to the defeat. It’s hard to win a game when you shoot 33.9 percent from the field and 21.7 percent from behind the three-point line. Minnesota had five different players that put up at least 10 points. 

The Gophers are trying to stay in the Top 15 of the Big Ten, and a win here would really help their chances. Minnesota has a 14-13 record overall, and they have gone 9-16-2 against the spread. One big problem for Minnesota is that there isn’t a consistent presence outside of Dawson Garcia. Other players step up in some games, but not someone you can trust every night. The Gopher’s defense has been pretty strong, giving up 69.3 points per game. Garcia is averaging 19.4 points while shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from behind the three-point line. 

Big Game for Northwestern

Northwestern is also trying to stay in the top 15 of the Big 10 conference, and a win here would go a long way for them. Northwestern’s season looked dead and over, but they should have some confidence after the last game. Northwestern gave up only 49 points against Ohio State on the way to the blowout victory. They were up big at halftime, and in the second half, they outscored them 39-24 on the way to the blowout. Northwestern shot 46.3 percent from the field and held Ohio State to only 32.7 percent. Nick Martinelli had a strong game, putting up 18 points and five rebounds. 

Northwestern has a 14-13 overall record, but they have gone only 1-8 away from home. Remember a couple of years ago when Northwestern played a drag-it-out type of game? That isn’t the case anymore, and they are averaging 73.4 points per game. They are also averaging 60.15 field goal attempts per game, which is 99th in all of college basketball. In this game, it’s a pretty simple equation: If they slow down Garcia, they win this game. 

Why Northwestern Will Beat Minnesota

• Minnesota has lost four of its last five home night games against the Big Ten Conference.
• The road team has won seven of Minnesota’s last nine games.

Total Points Facts

• Seventeen of Northwestern’s last 18 games against Conference opponents have produced a total of 131+ points.
• Eleven of Minnesota’s last 12 games at Williams Arena have produced a total of 133+ points.

Minnesota vs Northwestern Prediction

Minnesota has been solid as an underdog this season, but they are the favorite in this game, and I am not about to lay some points with them. I don’t trust the rest of the offense around Garcia, and Northwestern’s defense will find a way to make those big-time stops. I also don’t see the Gophers finding much success in slowing Martinelli. The Golden Gophers are 0-5 against the spread in their last 5 games as a home favorite of 0.5-6.5. Minnesota’s offense will struggle here, and Northwestern will come out on top. Back Northwestern against the spread.