The Wisconsin Badgers (19-12) travel to face off against the Illinois Fighting Illini (23-8) on Sunday, March 17th. This game will be played at Target Center in Minneapolis and televised on CBS. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 3:30 ET.
Wisconsin Badgers vs Illinois Fighting Illini
The Wisconsin Badgers Are Coming Off A Win
Wisconsin will look to build on their three-game winning streak when they take on Illinois. The Badgers have gone 19-12 this season, including a 14-9 record in Big Ten play.
Wisconsin has been much better at home this season, going 17-3 compared to 5-9 on the road. They have gone 4-6 as the underdog this season, and they are currently the underdog by three points. Their average scoring margin on the road this season is -3.3 points per game.
When looking at Wisconsin’s ATS record this season, they are currently 16-18. On the road, their ATS mark is 5-9, but they have gone 3-0 vs. the spread in their last three road games. As the underdog, the Badgers have gone 5-5 vs. the spread this year and 6-4 in their last 10 games as the underdog.
This season, the over/under record in Wisconsin games is 20-12-2, and today’s over/under line of 149.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games (138.4). Over their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1 with an average scoring total of 141 points.
The Illinois Fighting Illini Are Coming Off A Win
Illinois has been one of the best teams in the country at home this season, as they enter today’s game with an 18-3 record at home. Over their last ten games at home, the Fighting Illini have gone 8-2.
Overall, Illinois has gone 23-8 this season, and they have won three games in a row. So far, they have gone 16-6 in Big Ten play.
Illinois has an ATS record of 8-12-1 at home this season and they are 12-14-1 vs. the spread when favored. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Fighting Illini have gone 5-5 vs. the spread.
Illinois’ over/under record this season is 23-10 and their games have averaged 156.5 points. Today’s over/under line of 149.5 is lower than the average OU line in their games (149.8). Over their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1 and the average scoring total is 156 points.
Wisconsin Offense Breakdown
The Wisconsin offense is coming off a game where they scored 70 points against Northwestern. They posted a field goal percentage of 46.2% and connected on 10 threes. The top scorer for the Badgers was AJ Storr with 30 points, while Steven Crowl also added 19 to the scoreboard.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| AJ Storr (G) | 16.6 | 3.8 | 0.9 |
| Steven Crowl (F) | 11.2 | 7.3 | 2.0 |
| Tyler Wahl (F) | 11.1 | 5.6 | 1.8 |
Illinois Offense Breakdown
In contrast to their season average of 83.7 points per game, the Illinois had a below average performance. They scored 77 points against Ohio State and had a field goal percentage of 41.9%. Terrence Shannon Jr. led the scoring for the Fighting Illini, contributing 28 points. Additionally, Dain Dainja chipped in with 18 points.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terrence Shannon Jr. (G) | 21.9 | 4.2 | 2.2 |
| Marcus Domask (F) | 15.7 | 4.8 | 3.5 |
| Coleman Hawkins (F) | 12.7 | 6.1 | 2.7 |
Wisconsin Team Defense
Coming into today’s game, the Wisconsin defense is giving up an average of 68.9 points per contest. Wisconsin will look once again to perform well on defense, holding Northwestern to just 37% shooting in their most recent game.
Illinois Team Defense
Coming into today’s game, the Illinois defense is giving up an average of 73.0 points per contest. In today’s game vs. Wisconsin, the Illinois defense will be looking to do a better job avoiding putting opponents on the line. In their last game, Illinois made 21 free-throws vs. the Fighting Illini.
Badgers vs Fighting Illini Trends
- When looking at their past three road matchups, Wisconsin has an ATS record of 3-0 while averaging 72 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
- Although Illinois has a straight up record of 6-4 in their last ten home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 7-3. The team averaged 85 points per game in these games.
- In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Badgers have a straight up record of 5-5 and an ATS mark of 6-4.
- Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Fighting Illini have a straight up record of 8-2. But, their mark vs the spread was just 5-5.
Badgers vs Fighting Illini Prediction
We’re calling a win for the Fighting Illini, with a final score of 76-69, and we’re taking them to cover the spread. Our recommendation is to bet on the Fighting Illini at -3.
Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 149.5, and our model predicts the Badgers and Fighting Illini to score a combined 145 points. We recommend betting on 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 17, 2024 Illinois Fighting Illini, Wisconsin Badgers