Wisconsin Badgers vs Illinois Fighting Illini prediction and college basketball game preview.
Wisconsin vs Illinois Broadcast
Date: Saturday, February 6
Game Time: 2:30 ET
Venue: State Farm Center, Champaign, IL
Network: FOX
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Wisconsin (14-5) vs Illinois (12-5) Game Preview
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Why Wisconsin Will Win
Can the Badgers put together two decent shooting games in a row, at least from the outside?
They don’t have to be lights out from the field to win games – they know hot to clamp down when they have to – but threes matter. They were dead-cold on the road against Penn State and were never in it, and then in a rematch a few days later hit half of their threes and won easily.
They have yet to lose this year when hitting 40% from three, and only lost once when hitting 33% or better – Illinois is one of the worst teams in the Big Ten at defending from three. The Illini D has allowed 40% or more from there in four of the last five games and five of the last seven.
Why Illinois Will Win
Illinois continues to be outstanding on the boards. They skewed the stats with a ton of big boarding games over the first half of the season, but they really are just that good at going to grab misses.
This isn’t a bad rebounding Badger team, but there aren’t a slew of offensive boards – which is what happens when you hit your shots – and for all of the great things the defense does, it doesn’t take the ball away. Illinois moves the ball around too well and should be able to avoid a slew of big mistakes for easy UW points.
What’s Going To Happen
Illinois will be fine at home.
Wisconsin has alternated win-loss-win-loss-win over the last five games, and again, it’s all about whether or not it’s hitting from the outside. Illinois is shooting too well, too good on the boards, and it doesn’t turn the ball over enough to give away a close fight.
Wisconsin vs Illinois Prediction, Line
Illinois 75, Wisconsin 69
Bet on college basketball with BetMGM
Illinois -4.5, o/u: 136.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
Must See Rating: 3.5
5: Watching Super Bowl on the coach (with power nap)
1: Watching Super Bowl with other people
