The Illinois Fighting Illini (14-4) travel to face off against the Northwestern Wildcats (13-5) on Wednesday, January 24th. This game will be played at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston and televised on BTN. Illinois is coming off a win in their previous game, while Northwestern is looking to get back on track from a loss to the Nebraska. Tip-off is set for 9:00 ET.
Illinois Fighting Illini vs Northwestern Wildcats
The Illinois Fighting Illini Are Coming Off A Win
Illinois comes into this game as the favorite, as they have been in 14 of their 18 games this season. They have gone 12-2 in those games, compared to a 2-2 record when they have been the underdog. So far, the Fighting Illini are 14-4 overall, including a 5-2 mark in Big Ten play.
On the road, Illinois has gone 3-2 this season, and they have an average scoring margin of +9.0 points per game. Over their last 10 games away from home, they have gone just 3-7, but they have won two of their last three, including an 86-63 victory over Rutgers in their most recent game.
As the favorite this season, Illinois is 7-6-1 vs. the spread. Their overall ATS record is 10-6-2. On the road, they are 4-0-1 vs. the spread this year and have gone 6-3-1 ATS in their last 10 road games. In their last 3 games as the favorite, the Illini are 2-1 vs. the spread.
Today’s over/under line of 146.5 is lower than the average over/under line in Illinois’ games this season (146.6). So far, the over/under record in their games is 11-7. Over their last three games, their games have averaged 150 points compared to their season average of 149.8 points per game.
The Northwestern Wildcats Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Northwestern will look to bounce back from a tough 75-69 loss to Nebraska as they host Illinois. The Wildcats have been dominant at home this season, going 11-1 and winning their last four games. Over their last 10 games at home, Northwestern has gone 9-1.
On the year, Northwestern is 13-5 overall and 4-3 in Big Ten play. They have been the underdog in six games this season, going just 2-4. For the year, they have an average scoring margin of +11.2 at home.
Overall, Northwestern has an ATS record of 7-9-2 this season. At home, their ATS mark is 6-5-1. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Wildcats are 5-5 vs. the spread. In their last three home games, Northwestern’s ATS record is 1-2.
Today’s over/under line of 146.5 is higher than the average over/under line in Northwestern’s games this year (136.2). So far, 11 of their games have finished with more points than today’s line. In their last three games, the over/under record is 3-0 and the average scoring total is 139 points.
Illinois Offense Breakdown
Coming off their recent game, the Illinois offense tallied 86 points in a matchup against Rutgers. Their field goal percentage for the game was 50.8%, and they made 6 threes. One area that the Illinois offense has been good this season is getting to the line. Currently, they are 86th in free-throw attempts per contest. Overall, they have a field goal percentage of 46%.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marcus Domask (F) | 14.7 | 4.6 | 3.3 |
| Terrence Shannon Jr. (G) | 21.2 | 4.2 | 2.7 |
| Quincy Guerrier (F) | 11.6 | 7.9 | 0.2 |
Northwestern Offense Breakdown
Coming off their recent game, the Northwestern offense tallied 69 points in a matchup against Nebraska. Their field goal percentage for the game was 38.1%, and they made 10 threes. Offensively, the Wildcats have a season long field goal percentage of 46%, which is 114th in the nation. In terms of three-pointers, they are 57th in percentage and 158th in three-pointers made.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boo Buie (G) | 17.9 | 3.4 | 5.1 |
| Brooks Barnhizer (G) | 14.4 | 6.7 | 2.7 |
| Ryan Langborg (G) | 11.4 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
Illinois Team Defense
At present, the Fighting Illini’s defense is nationally ranked 77th, allowing 67.5 points per game. So far, the Illinois defense is giving up an average of 9.1 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 11.1 times per game (491st).
Northwestern Team Defense
The Wildcats’ defense is presently ranked 76th nationally, allowing an average of 67.4 points per contest. The Northwestern defense is coming off a game in which they gave up a total of 75 points and allowed Nebraska to connect on 7 threes.
Fighting Illini vs Wildcats Trends
- Across their last five road contests, Illinois has been good against the spread posting a mark of 4-0-1. Their overall mark in these games was 3-2, while averaging 83 points per game.
- Across the Wildcats last three home games, the team averaged 69 points per game while allowing 72. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 1-2, while going 1-2 straight-up.
- As the betting underdog, the Wildcats have an ATS mark of just 1-2 in their last three games. Northwestern posted a straight up mark of 1-2 in these matchups.
- Through their last three games as the favorite, the Fighting Illini have an ATS record of 2-1 and a straight up mark of 2-1.
Fighting Illini vs Wildcats Prediction
As the underdogs with a spread of +4.5, we recommend going with the Wildcats on the point spread. We not only see them covering the spread but also have a strong likelihood of winning this one outright, especially if you’re seeking a higher payout on the moneyline.
Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 146.5 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:January 24, 2024 Illinois Fighting Illini, Northwestern Wildcats, Teams