The Ohio State Buckeyes (19-12) travel to face off against the Illinois Fighting Illini (23-8) on Friday, March 15th. This game will be played at Target Center in Minneapolis and televised on BTN. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 6:30 ET.
Ohio State Buckeyes vs Illinois Fighting Illini
The Ohio State Buckeyes Are Coming Off A Win
Ohio State enters this game as a 4.5-point underdog, and they have gone 3-7 in their last ten games on the road. On the season, the Buckeyes are 5-8 on the road, compared to 14-4 at home.
The Buckeyes come into this game on a four-game winning streak, and they are 19-12 overall. In Big Ten play, Ohio State is 9-11, compared to 10-1 in non-conference games.
Ohio State has an overall ATS record of 14-17 this season, but they have been better vs. the spread on the road. Their road ATS mark is 6-7 this year and they have gone 3-0 ATS in their last 3 road games. As the underdog, the Buckeyes are 5-5 vs. the spread this season and they have gone 2-1 ATS in their last 3 games as the underdog.
So far this season, the over/under record for Ohio State games is 17-14. Today’s line of 154.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games this year (143.2). Over their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1 and the average scoring total in those games is 145 points.
The Illinois Fighting Illini Are Coming Off A Win
Illinois enters this game as 4.5-point favorites, and they have been the favorite in 25 of their 31 games this season. So far, they have gone 20-5 in those games. Overall, the Fighting Illini have gone 23-8 this season, including a 16-3 record at home, where they have outscored opponents by an average of 14.4 points per game.
Coming off a 73-61 win over Iowa, Illinois has gone 8-2 in their last 10 home games. Over their last five games at home, they have gone 4-1, and they are 2-1 in their last three.
When looking at Illinois’ ATS record this season, they are 16-13-2. At home, the Fighting Illini are 8-10-1 vs. the spread. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, Illinois is 5-5 ATS. Over their last 10 home games, the Illini have an ATS mark of 4-6.
Today’s over/under line of 154.5 is higher than the average over/under line in Illinois’ games this season (149.8). In their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 and the average scoring total is 151 points. On the year, the over/under record in their games is 21-10.
Ohio State Offense Breakdown
The Ohio State offense is coming off a game in which they scored 73 points vs. Rutgers. Overall their field goal percentage was 50% while connecting on 9 threes. For the season, the Ohio State offense has been one of the more efficient shooting teams in the NCAA with a field goal percentage of 45%. So far, they have hit 51% of their looks from inside the arc, and are averaging 7 made three’s per contest.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bruce Thornton (G) | 16.1 | 3.5 | 4.3 |
| Jamison Battle (F) | 14.4 | 4.8 | 1.1 |
| Roddy Gayle Jr. (G) | 13.8 | 4.6 | 3.0 |
Illinois Offense Breakdown
In their recent matchup, the Illinois offense ended with 73 points against Iowa. They finished with an overall field goal percentage of 44.4% and made 5 threes. One area that the Illinois offense has been good this season is getting to the line. Currently, they are 29th in free-throw attempts per contest. Overall, they have a field goal percentage of 47%.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terrence Shannon Jr. (G) | 21.6 | 4.2 | 2.2 |
| Marcus Domask (F) | 16.0 | 4.9 | 3.5 |
| Coleman Hawkins (F) | 12.9 | 6.1 | 2.7 |
Ohio State Team Defense
So far, the Buckeyes’ defense is ranked 89th in the country at 69.0 points per contest. Against Rutgers in their most recent game, the Ohio State defense gave up a total of 51 points while allowing Rutgers to hit 27% of their shots.
Illinois Team Defense
In terms of defense, Illinois is currently on par with the NCAA average for points allowed, giving up an average of 72.9 points per game. Against Iowa in their most recent game, the Illinois defense gave up a total of 61 points while allowing Iowa to hit 35% of their shots.
Buckeyes vs Fighting Illini Trends
- When looking at their past five road matchups, Ohio State has an ATS record of 4-1 while averaging 71 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
- In their last ten games at home, the Fighting Illini have a straight up record of 6-4 while going 7-3 vs. the spread. The team averaged 85 points per game in this stretch.
- In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Buckeyes have a straight up record of 2-3 and an ATS mark of 4-1.
- Across their last five matchups as the betting favorite, the Fighting Illini have an overall record of 3-2 while going 2-3 against the spread.
Buckeyes vs Fighting Illini Prediction
We’re putting our money on the Fighting Illini to win, and have the projected score sitting at 76-69. We also like them to cover the spread, so our recommendation is to bet on the Fighting Illini at -4.5.
As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 154.5, and our model projects the Buckeyes and Fighting Illini to reach a combined total of 145 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:March 15, 2024 Illinois Fighting Illini, Ohio State Buckeyes