It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with an Iowa-Illinois prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Iowa-Illinois.
What a bloodbath it was in Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday night. Duke took a blowtorch to Illinois in a high-profile nonconference game in late February. Just a few weeks before the NCAA Tournament, Illinois went up against one of the best teams in the sport and lost by more than 40 points. The Illini shoot more 3-pointers than they should, and when they miss in bunches, games get ugly for them. They missed in bunches against Duke and never had a chance. They fell behind by 15 points in a heartbeat, and the deficit just kept expanding as the game went on.
Now we get to find out how much of a spine the Illini have when they host Iowa.
Here are the Iowa-Illinois College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Iowa-Illinois Odds
Iowa: +11.5 (-115)
Moneyline: +450
Illinois: -11.5 (-105)
Moneyline: -630
Over: 171.5 (-115)
Under: 171.5 (-105)
How to Watch Iowa vs Illinois
Time: 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
TV: FS1
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Iowa Will Cover The Spread/Win
Illinois can make excuses about the injuries and illnesses which have hamepered the team this season. While the Illini have undeniably been unlucky in that regard, this is competitive sports. Injuries happen. Adversity emerges. No one else is going to feel sorry for Illinois in the midst of its struggles in the Big Ten season. The Illini have to bounce back. They have to show toughness. Head coach Brad Underwood has to get his team to show a backbone. This game against a weak Iowa team which will not make the NCAA Tournament and will finish in the lower half of the Big Ten basketball standings is a game in which the Illini have to get right. March is coming, and this team needs to start showing it can learn from adversity and actually grow together. If it can’t grow, the Illini’s season — once viewed as very promising — won’t last very long in March Madness. Given everything we have seen from this team recently, why would Illinois be trusted from a betting standpoint? Better yet, why is Illinois being favored over anyone by a double-digit spread? You don’t have to be impressed by Iowa. You can simply fade Illinois and cash in.
Why Illinois Will Cover The Spread/Win
Illinois is struggling right now, but Iowa is not a good team. The Hawkeyes are a lower-half team in the 18-school Big Ten. When the Big Ten was a 14-team league, finishing in the lower half of the league wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. A team could finish eighth or ninth in the 14-team Big Ten and still be a good candidate for the NCAA Tournament. In the 18-team Big Ten, finishing in the lower half means finishing 10th or worse. In Iowa’s case, it’s a tie for 14th place with USC and Minnesota. The Hawkeyes are going to make Illinois look good by comparison. You know Illinois is really angry about what happened against Duke. The Illini will come roaring out of the locker room and probably will get a 10-point first-half lead. They can build on that in the second half and win this game by at least 15.
Final Iowa-Illinois Prediction & Pick
Illinois does not deserve to be trusted, but Iowa is certainly not trustworthy, either. Wait for a possible live-game angle.
Final Iowa-Illinois Prediction & Pick: Iowa +11.5
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