At the onset of February, the Wisconsin Badgers had the lead in the Big Ten Conference and were ranked sixth in the nation. But February was the month from hell for Wisconsin. Now, the Badgers are out of the national rankings and are on the March Madness bubble. On Saturday, Wisconsin will host the resurgent Illinois Fighting Illini. By contrast to Wisconsin, Illinois is peaking at the right time with the College Basketball lines. But the Fighting Illini are well aware of how tough a venue the Kohl Center is. Saturday brings a Big Ten dogfight.
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Wisconsin Badgers Betting Information
| Date and Time: | Saturday, March 2, 2024, 12 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Kohl Center, Madison, WI |
| TV Coverage: | BTN |
| Betting Online Odds at SBG: | Click Here |
Illinois Fighting Illini Team Overview
Overall, the Illinois Fighting Illini are 20-7 straight up, 15-10-2 against the spread, and 19-8 over/under the online wagering total. Illinois has national metrics of 14th for scoring offense, 74th for field goal percentage, 155th for 3-point field goal percentage, 90th for free throw percentage, and 5th for offensive rebounding. While defensively, Illinois is 186th for scoring defense, 86th for field goal percentage permitted, 118th for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 83rd for defensive rebounding.
Late on, Illinois has covered three of its previous four games. Illinois has gone over the total in nine of its last ten outings. First among Illinois scorers is G Terrence Shannon Jr, with 21.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. F Marcus Domask averages 15.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per matchup. And then F Coleman Hawkins has 13.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per outing.
Wisconsin Badgers Team Overview
Overall, the Wisconsin Badgers are 18-9 straight up, 10-15-2 against the spread, and 16-11 over/under the total. Wisconsin has national metrics of 167th for scoring offense, 89th for field goal percentage, 182nd for 3-point field goal percentage, 27th for free throw percentage, and 252nd for offensive rebounding. While defensively, Wisconsin is 90th for scoring defense, 287th for field goal percentage permitted, 335th for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 13th for defensive rebounding.
Late on, Wisconsin has covered one of its previous ten games. Wisconsin has gone over the total in six of its last eight outings. First among Wisconsin scorers is G AJ Storr, with 16.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. F Tyler Wahl brings 11.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per outing. At the same time, F Steven Crowl adds 11.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
Wisconsin’s lack of top-ranked recruits is catching up with it. The early season results were a mirage. Although Wisconsin remains in the NCAA Tournament hunt they have drowned gamblers in red ink. The Badgers offense remains a drag and its defense is not as good as past editions. Specifically, Wisocnsin’s metrics are indicative of a mediocre program.
Illinois at Wisconsin SBG Free Picks
Illinois has beaten the College basketball lines in seven consecutive meetings. Four of the last six meetings in this series went over the total. Specifically, Wisconsin, and Illinois got the cash in their last four visits. Five of the last seven meetings in this series at Wisconsin went under the total. Illinois will get the road team discount and is in better form.
Illinois at Wisconsin SBG Best Bet: Illinois Fighting Illini.