The Wisconsin Badgers take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in Champaign on Tuesday, Feb. 10. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET on Peacock.
Illinois is favored by 11.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -800. The total is set at 154.5 points.
Here’s my Wisconsin vs. Illinois prediction and college basketball picks for Tuesday, February 10.
Wisconsin vs Illinois Odds, Lines, Point Spread
| Wisconsin Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Total Points | Moneyline |
+10.5 -110 | 152 -110o / -110u | +450 |
| Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Total Points | Moneyline |
-10.5 -110 | 152 -110o / -110u | -600 |
My Pick: Illinois -11.5
My Wisconsin vs Illinois best bet is on the Fighting Illini to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Wisconsin vs Illinois NCAAB Preview
Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin is 16-7 overall and 8-4 in conference play. The Badgers are coming off a tough 78-77 overtime loss to Indiana.
In the Badgers' last nine games, they're 9-2 with their losses being by a combined three points.
Over the nine-game span, Bart Torvik has the Badgers as the 23rd-best team in college basketball, with the sixth-best offensive efficiency over that span.
Nick Boyd and John Blackwell have been lights out this season. Boyd is averaging 20 points per game, while scoring 20 points or more in eight out of the last 10 games. Meanwhile, Blackwell has scored in double figures in nine straight games.
Boyd creates scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates out of pick-and-roll actions.
Via Synergy, 34.1% of his scoring is when he's the ball handler out of the pick-and-roll. The most efficient aspect of Boyd's shot-making ability comes from spot-up 3s, where he's shooting 24-of-53 (45%).
Junior seven-footer Nolan Winter is coming off his best game of the season, scoring 26 points with 12 rebounds against Indiana. Winter has proven to be an excellent roll man in Wisconsin's system. On the season, Winter is shooting 57%, while averaging 1.343 points per possession, out of the two-man game.
Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois is coming off a tough overtime loss to Michigan State and now sits at 20-4 overall and 11-2 in the Big TEn.
Keaton Wagler had been the hottest player in the country until Michigan State made it tough on him, as he shot 2-of-16 from the field.
Even with the offensive struggles against Michigan State and being without Kylan Boswell — who's expected to miss this game — Illinois still has the best offense in the country, along with having a top-25 defense.
The Fighting Illini are the tallest team in the country and have made it their identity to be one of the best rebounding units. They have the second-best offensive rebounding rate in the Big Ten, while also posting the third-best defensive rebounding rate.
In their loss to Michigan State, Tomislav Ivisic and David Mirkovic were in foul trouble, which led to Illinois being out-rebounded 48-38, while giving up 15 offensive rebounds.
I expect Illinois to be looking for revenge with a bounce-back game from Wagler. Also, the bigs will set the tone on the glass.
Wisconsin vs Illinois Betting Analysis
As good as Wisconsin's guards have been playing, they're catching Illinois at a bad time.
The Fighting Illini are going to come out and set the tone with their physicality and make Wisconsin uncomfortable on both ends of the floor.
Illinois will use its size to be physical in its half-court sets, which will lead to cutting opportunities. On the season, the Illini shoot 71% off of cut actions (1.339 PPP) and Wisconsin tends to give up easy baskets off of cuts (1.274 PPP).
Illinois is in a nice bounce-back spot.
My Pick: Illinois -11.5
