The Florida Atlantic Owls (7-1) travel to face off against the Illinois Fighting Illini (6-1) on Tuesday, December 5th. This game will be played at Madison Square Garden in New York and televised on ESPN. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 6:30 ET.
Florida Atlantic Owls vs Illinois Fighting Illini
The Florida Atlantic Owls Are Coming Off A Win
Florida Atlantic is entering their ninth game of the season and currently have a 7-1 record. They have gone 3-0 on the road and 4-1 at home. Florida Atlantic has been solid against the spread this season, entering today’s game with a 6-2 ATS record. Looking at their performance over the last five games, they have gone 4-1 vs. the spread.
Up to this point, games involving Florida Atlantic have had an average of 151 points per game, with the average over/under line set at 147.4 points. Their over/under record is 4-4-0. The Owls’ last five games have finished with a combined 159 points per game and an over/under record of 3-2.
The Illinois Fighting Illini Are Coming Off A Win
This will be the eighth game of the season for Illinois, who currently have a 6-1 overall record. On the road, Illinois is 1-0, while at home they are 5-1. Illinois has a sub-.500 ATS performance, sitting at 3-4. In their previous five games, the team has a 3-2 ATS record.
Illinois comes in with an over/under record of 2-5-0 through seven games, with their games averaging a combined 136.1 points per game so far. When looking at the Fighting Illini’s last three games, their over/under record is 1-2, with their games averaging 138 points per game.
Florida Atlantic Offense Breakdown
Florida Atlantic is fresh off a strong offensive showing, putting up 90 points versus Charleston. This output is higher than their season-average of 83.9 points per game. On the offensive front, the Owls have a season-long field goal percentage of 50%, ranking 32nd nationally. When it comes to three-point shooting, they are ranked 62nd in terms of percentage and 69th in three-pointers made.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vladislav Goldin (C) | 15.4 | 7.1 | 0.6 |
| Johnell Davis (G) | 13.6 | 6.8 | 1.6 |
| Alijah Martin (G) | 13.5 | 5.1 | 1.1 |
Illinois Offense Breakdown
Coming off their recent game, the Illinois offense tallied 76 points in a matchup against Rutgers. Their field goal percentage for the game was 45.5%, and they made 9 threes. Offensively, the Fighting Illini have a season long field goal percentage of 46%, which is 143rd in the nation. In terms of three-pointers, they are 248th in percentage and 112nd in three-pointers made.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terrence Shannon Jr. (G) | 20.0 | 4.4 | 2.9 |
| Dain Dainja (F) | 9.4 | 5.1 | 0.3 |
| Marcus Domask (F) | 9.1 | 5.1 | 1.7 |
Florida Atlantic Team Defense
So far, the Owls’ defense is ranked 76th in the country at 67.1 points per contest. Against Charleston in their most recent game, the Florida Atlantic defense gave up a total of 74 points while allowing Charleston to hit 55% of their shots.
Illinois Team Defense
So far this season, the Illinois defense has been performing well, ranking 7th in the country at 58.6 points allowed per contest. So far, the Illinois defense is giving up an average of 8.3 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 12.7 times per game (475th).
Owls vs Fighting Illini Trends
- Across their last three road contests, Florida Atlantic has been good against the spread posting a mark of 2-1. Their overall mark in these games was 3-0, while averaging 83 points per game.
- In their last five home games, Illinois has averaged 67 points per game while allowing 70. The team’s record in this stretch was 1-4 while going 3-2.
- Looking back on the team’s last five games as the underdog, the Fighting Illini have a straight up record of 1-4. Their record vs the spread in these games was 4-1.
- Florida Atlantic has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 3-0 SU and 3-0 ATS in their last three games.
Owls vs Fighting Illini Prediction
Coming in as the underdogs at +2.5, we have the Fighting Illini as the way to go on the point spread. Not only do we have them covering, but our projections show they have a good one of winning this one straight-up, if you’re looking for a higher payout on the moneyline.
As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 148.5, and our model projects the Owls and Fighting Illini to reach a combined total of 142 points. Our bet is on taking 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:December 5, 2023 Florida Atlantic Owls, Illinois Fighting Illini, Teams