The Washington Huskies take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in Champaign, Illinois. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
Illinois is favored by 12.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -900. The total is set at 153 points.
Here’s my Washington vs. Illinois prediction and college basketball picks for January 29, 2026.
Washington vs Illinois Prediction
My Pick: Under 153 (Play to 151)
My Washington vs Illinois best bet is on the under. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Washington vs. Illinois Odds
| Washington Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+12.5 -110 | 153 -110o / -110u | +600 |
| Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-12.5 -110 | 153 -110o / -110u | -900 |
Washington vs Illinois Betting Preview
Washington Basketball
Washington looked like it could be a sneaky team in the middle of the Big Ten, but it just hasn't found a strong level of consistency. The Huskies are 11-9 overall and 3-6 in Big Ten play with just one win over a top-50 team.
The Huskies' offense has really struggled this season, ranking 68th in offensive efficiency, per KenPom. They don't have much shooting, and it shows (31% from deep). Only 33% of their shots are from 3s; for context, that's 305th nationally.
Most times, Washington's best offense is just getting the ball on the rim and allowing German big man Hannes Steinbach to do work on the glass. He leads Washington with 17.5 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, and he ranks 41st in offensive rebound rate.
It was big news to get both Jacob Ognacevic and Wesley Yates III back from injury. Ognacevic is 7-for-12 from deep, and Yates is a legit shot-creator who's a real threat from deep, unlike Zoom Diallo and JJ Mandaquit.
Since January 1, Washington has regressed on the defensive end, ranking 89th in defensive efficiency, per Bart Torvik. The Huskies' interior defense has disappeared, allowing opponents to shoot a blistering 56% on 2s.
In fairness, the Big Ten did Washington no favors with its schedule to start league play. It played at Indiana, Nebraska and Purdue and then at home against Michigan and Michigan State in five of eight games.
Lineup-wise, Washington has plenty of holes. Steinbach and Diallo are the constants, tallying over 15 points per game. But opponents can pack the paint on the Huskies to limit Diallo's dynamic driving and Steinbach's post dominance due to their lack of shooters.
Illinois Basketball
Fresh off a very impressive road win over Purdue, Illinois will look to avoid the dreaded "letdown" spot. The Fighting Illini have won nine straight games and are 9-1 in league play, but they've played closer games than you'd probably expect.
The Illini boast the nation's best offense, per KenPom. You might not see many 90+ point scoring nights due to their pace (242nd in adjusted tempo), but they're a ball-screen heavy offense that seeks out the best possible shot.
What makes Illinois so good offensively is that it's not doomed if it doesn't shoot it well from deep. Almost no teams that shoot over 50% of their shots from deep can say that, but Illinois can because it shoots 58% on 2s and grabs offensive boards at a 40% clip.
Keaton Wagler has shouldered more ball-handling duties with Kylan Boswell's injury, and he continues to impress. He just scored 46 against Purdue and is one of the best freshmen in America while averaging 17/4/5.
The star-studded freshman is one of five Illini players who average 10+ points per game. One is Boswell, so it's really four since he's out, but this offense has options. And the best part is that all of them are a threat to shoot.
Defensively, the Illini are very solid, ranking 30th in defensive efficiency. They won't look to speed up the opponent, as they rank last in defensive turnover rate nationally.
The best thing Brad Underwood's crew does on defense is limit fouling. It leads the sport in limiting teams' trips to the stripe, allowing a 19% free-throw rate. It's better to make teams earn it, and it's worked well for Illinois.
Washington vs. Illinois Betting Analysis
I'm eyeing the under 152.5 here. Illinois and Washington are slower-tempo teams, which should lead to a half-court game.
I know Illinois can easily score 80. That's totally fine, if it hovers in the high-70s to low-80s, as long as Washington plays slow and eventually has to shoot 3s since Illinois won't foul the Huskies.
My Pick: Under 153 (Play to 151)
