The Glory is Gone for Illinois Fighting Illini basketball. What was once a perennial March Madness program is now a Big Ten Conference bottom feeder. The Fighting Illini are also losers with the Vegas Lines NCAA Basketball. The Michigan State Spartans are in a race to the wire for the Big Ten championship. However, their success on the hardwood has not been replicated at the cashier’s cage. The distraction of the recent sexual assault scandal at MSU may be part of the value drop. Michigan State hosts Illinois on Tuesday.
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Michigan State Spartans
Date and Time: Tuesday, February 20, 2018, 7 p.m. Eastern
Location: Jack Breslin Student Events Center, East Lansing, Michigan
NCAA Betting Online Odds at SBG:
Illinois +16 (-110) 147 (-110)
Michigan State -16 (-110) 147 (-110)
Fighting Illini vs. Spartans TV Coverage: ESPN
The Michigan State Spartans are 26-3 straight up and 15-12-2 against the spread. They have covered the Vegas Lines NCAA Basketball in just one out of their last eight games. Under the total has hit in three out of the last four games for Sparty. A great example of MSU’s value woes was their last game. Michigan State beat Northwestern 65-60 but failed to pay as nine point chalks. At home the Spartans have shown better value. They have lost just six out of 16 games vs. the odds at Breslin. Head coach Tom Izzo has built a complete full court team. Michigan State ranks 24th in the nation for scoring offense and 23rd for scoring defense. Over the total has paid in 11 out of 15 lined home games for MSU.
The Illinois Fighting Illini are 13-15 straight up and 10-13-1 against the spread. Head coach Brad Underwood is in his first season at Champaign. He may be wondering what he got himself into. Underwood’s team has suffered from a drop in value with the betting line. Illinois has come away with the cash in just three out of their last nine games. Under the total has paid in just two out of their last seven games. On the positive the Illini did score a 72-66 home payout over Nebraska on Sunday. Leron Black had the hot hand with 28 points in the win. He is also the leading scorer for Illinois with 15.1 points per game. On the road the Illini have scored just three payouts in nine games. Six out of their nine road tilts have gone under the total.
Michigan State has held the online sportsbook against Illinois lately. The Spartans have covered three out of their last four against the Illini. The last two meetings in this series have gone over the total. Illinois has shown surprising strength at Michigan State however. Sparty has paid out in just one out of their last seven home games against Illinois. The under has paid in eight out of the last nine games in this series at MSU.
Matchup to Watch
This matchup is all about Vegas Lines NCAA Basketball value. Illinois should be getting a few extra points due to public perception. Nobody wants to take the Illini, especially at powerful Michigan State. Their win over Nebraska will be ignored. Yet it is a positive sign.
Fighting Illini vs. Spartans NCAA games Betting Odds Picks
Illinois makes for a contrarian value angle against the public. They also have the proven ability to get the cash at Michigan State. Illinois is the pick.
NCAA Betting Online Pick: Illinois Fighting Illini
NCAA Betting Online Score Prediction: Fighting Illini 63, Spartans 68
Check out highlights of the Fighting Illini payout over Nebraska.