The Illinois Fighting Illini (11-2) travel to face off against the Purdue Boilermakers (13-1) on Friday, January 5th. This game will be played at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette and televised on FS1. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 8:30 ET.
Illinois Fighting Illini vs Purdue Boilermakers
The Illinois Fighting Illini Are Coming Off A Win
Illinois comes into today’s game against Purdue with a record of 11-2. On the road, they are 2-1 and at home, they are 9-1. Illinois’ ATS performance reveals a 7-4-2 record going into today’s game. Over their last five games, the team is 3-0-2 vs. the spread.
Through 13 games, Illinois has an over/under record of 7-6-0 with their games averaging a combined 149.5 points per game so far. The Fighting Illini have seen their last five games conclude with a collective average of 160 points per game and an over/under record of 4-1.
The Purdue Boilermakers Are Coming Off A Win
Purdue has a 13-1 overall record heading into today’s game. So far this season, Purdue has gone 3-1 on the road and 10-0 at home. Purdue has a winning record against the spread, sitting at 9-3-2. In their last ten games, Purdue has covered the spread in four out of five.
Up to this point, games involving Purdue have had an average of 152.4 points per game, with the average over/under line set at 147.2 points. Their over/under record is 9-5-0. The Boilermakers’ last five games have finished with a combined 152 points per game and an over/under record of 3-2.
Illinois Offense Breakdown
Coming off their recent game, the Illinois offense tallied 96 points in a matchup against Northwestern. Their field goal percentage for the game was 62.5%, and they made 10 threes. The team’s top scorer is Terrence Shannon Jr., who comes into today’s matchup with an average of 21.7, while Marcus Domask also maintains a PPG average of 13.2 leading up to the game.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terrence Shannon Jr. (G) | 21.7 | 4.5 | 2.5 |
| Marcus Domask (F) | 13.2 | 4.6 | 3.1 |
| Quincy Guerrier (F) | 11.0 | 7.4 | 0.2 |
Purdue Offense Breakdown
The Purdue offense is coming off a game in which they scored 67 points vs. Maryland. Overall their field goal percentage was 46.3% while connecting on 9 threes. Offensively, the Boilermakers hold a season-long field goal percentage of 49%, placing them 48th in the national rankings. When it comes to three-pointers, they are ranked 56th in terms of percentage and 108th in three-pointers made.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Edey (C) | 23.1 | 10.3 | 1.6 |
| Braden Smith (G) | 12.9 | 5.4 | 6.7 |
| Fletcher Loyer (G) | 11.3 | 2.4 | 1.6 |
Illinois Team Defense
In the current season, the Illinois defense has excelled, sitting 54th in the nation by allowing 65.5 points per game. In today’s game vs. Purdue, the Illinois defense will be looking to do a better job avoiding putting opponents on the line. In their last game, Illinois made 16 free-throws vs. the Fighting Illini.
Purdue Team Defense
Purdue’s defense has been playing well, ranking 77th nationally, with 67.0 points allowed per game. The Purdue defense is coming off a game in which they gave up a total of 53 points and allowed Maryland to connect on 5 threes.
Fighting Illini vs Boilermakers Trends
- Illinois has played well in their previous three road games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 84 points per game while allowing 72. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-0-1.
- Across the Boilermakers last ten home games, the team averaged 69 points per game while allowing 66. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 3-5-2, while going 6-4 straight-up.
- Illinois has done well both straight up and vs the spread as the underdog, going 2-1 SU and 2-1 ATS in their last three games.
- The Boilermakers have played well in their last five games as the betting favorite, going 5-0 straight up and 4-1 against the spread.
Fighting Illini vs Boilermakers Prediction
In this Boilermakers vs. Boilermakers matchup, our point-spread bet is on the Boilermakers at -10.5. While we project the Boilermakers to win 75-69, our recommendation is to bet on the Fighting Illini for the point-spread.
As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 155.5 and our model has the Fighting Illini and Boilermakers finishing with a combined 144 points. Our pick is to take 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:January 5, 2024 Illinois Fighting Illini, Purdue Boilermakers, Teams