The Illinois Fighting Illini (22-8) travel to face off against the Iowa Hawkeyes (18-12) on Sunday, March 10th. This game will be played at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City and televised on FS1. Iowa is coming off a win in their previous game, while Illinois is looking to get back on track from a loss to the Purdue. Tip-off is set for 7:00 ET.
Illinois Fighting Illini vs Iowa Hawkeyes
The Illinois Fighting Illini Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Illinois has been the favorite in 24 of their 30 games this season and has a record of 19-5 in those games. The Fighting Illini are 22-8 overall, including a 13-6 mark in Big Ten play. On the road, they have gone 6-5 compared to a 16-3 record at home.
Over their last 10 road games, Illinois has gone 5-5. In their most recent game, they lost to Purdue by a score of 77-71. For the season, their average scoring margin on the road is +5.1 points per game.
When looking at Illinois’ ATS record this season, they are currently 15-13-2. On the road, their ATS mark is 7-3-1. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Illini have gone 4-6 vs. the spread. In their last 3 road games, they have an ATS mark of 2-1.
This season, the over/under record for Illinois games is 21-9, and today’s over/under line of 171.5 is higher than the average OU line in their games (149.1). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 174 points, and their over/under record over their last 10 games is 9-1.
The Iowa Hawkeyes Are Coming Off A Win
Coming into today’s game, Iowa is 18-12 overall and 10-9 in Big Ten play. Over their last ten games, the Hawkeyes have gone 8-2, including a current two-game win streak. At home, Iowa has been even better, going 14-4 this season, and they have won their last four games at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
For the year, Iowa has been the underdog in 13 of their 30 games, going just 4-9 in those contests. Today, they are a one-point underdog against Illinois, and the over/under for the game is set at 171.5 points. The Hawkeyes’ average scoring margin at home is +12.2 points per game, compared to -5.7 points per game on the road.
As the underdog this season, Iowa has gone 5-8 vs. the spread. At home, their ATS record is 7-10-1, including going 1-3-1 in their last 5 games. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Hawkeyes are 4-6 ATS.
Today’s over/under line of 171.5 is higher than the average over/under line in Iowa’s games this year (159.6), but the average scoring total in their last three games (172) is higher than that line. Overall, the over/under record in their games this year is 20-10.
Illinois Offense Breakdown
In contrast to their season average of 84.3 points per game, the Illinois had a below average performance. They scored 71 points against Purdue and had a field goal percentage of 45.5%. Marcus Domask led the team in scoring, putting up 20 points. Additionally, Coleman Hawkins contributed 13 points for the Fighting Illini.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terrence Shannon Jr. (G) | 21.5 | 4.3 | 2.2 |
| Marcus Domask (F) | 16.2 | 4.9 | 3.5 |
| Coleman Hawkins (F) | 13.3 | 6.0 | 2.7 |
Iowa Offense Breakdown
Iowa’s offense is coming off a good game, putting up 87 points vs. Northwestern. Overall, they hit 55% of their shots from the field and went 11/13 from the free-throw line. The top scorer for the Hawkeyes was Josh Dix with 24 points, while Payton Sandfort also chipped in with 23 points.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payton Sandfort (F) | 16.0 | 6.5 | 2.8 |
| Tony Perkins (G) | 14.9 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Ben Krikke (F) | 13.9 | 4.8 | 1.4 |
Illinois Team Defense
Illinois’ defense is currently in line with the NCAA average for points allowed, allowing an average of 73.3 points per game. In their previous game vs. Purdue, the Boilermakers finished with a field goal percentage of 45% and a total of 77 points vs. Illinois.
Iowa Team Defense
Currently, the Hawkeyes’ defense holds the 317th rank in the nation, allowing 78.8 points per game. In their previous game vs. Northwestern, the Wildcats finished with a field goal percentage of 53% and a total of 80 points vs. Iowa.
Fighting Illini vs Hawkeyes Trends
- Across the Fighting Illini last ten road games, the team averaged 86 points per game while allowing 82. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 6-3-1, while going 5-5 straight-up.
- In their last five games at home, the Hawkeyes have a straight up record of 2-3 while going 2-3 vs. the spread. The team averaged 79 points per game in this stretch.
- Going back to their last ten games as the underdog, the Hawkeyes have a straight up record of 4-6. But, their mark vs the spread was just 4-6.
- The last ten games that Illinois was favored, they have an ATS mark of 4-6 while going 7-3 straight up.
Fighting Illini vs Hawkeyes Prediction
The Hawkeyes come in as the underdog at +1, making them our top choice on the point spread. We not only expect them to cover the spread but also believe they have a strong chance of winning the game outright, especially if you’re aiming for a higher moneyline payout.
Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 171.5 and given that our model is projecting 143 points between the teams, we like the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:March 10, 2024 Illinois Fighting Illini, Iowa Hawkeyes