Illinois at Indiana Betting Preview

The Big Ten Conference has delivered some terrific games already this season, and Tuesday night could bring another one of them. The Indiana Hoosiers host the Illinois Fighting Illini and this is one of the best rivalries in the league. 

Illinois currently sits alone in second place in the Big Ten Conference with a record of 7-3. The Fighting Illini continue to climb up the Top 25 polls and this team could make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. 

Indiana is looking to continue building their NCAA Tournament resume, and a win in this game would do just that. The Hoosiers are currently just 4-5 in Big Ten action and are just 9-7 overall.

The Illinois Fighting Illini are 3.5-point favorites over the Indiana Hoosiers on Tuesday night.

Illinois Explosive on Offense

The Illinois Fighting Illini are averaging 82.7 points per game this season, which is top 20 in all of college basketball. Illinois is able to score in a variety of ways, and they are led by a pair of All-American candidates in Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn.

Dosunmu is arguably the best guard in the country, and he put on an absolute show in the win over Iowa on Friday night. The point guard is averaging 21.9 points and 4.8 assists per game this season, and he is looking to lead the Illini on a deep run in March.

Center Kofi Cockburn is an absolute animal in the paint, and he is a double-double machine. When Kofi decides that it is time to start dominating a basketball game, that spells bad new for an opponent. 

Senior guard Trent Frazier had his best game of the season in the win over Iowa, and he is a capable scoring threat on the perimeter. Illinois will be looking to speed up the tempo in this game and wear Iowa down with all of their talent. 

Hoosiers Need More Guard Play

If the Indiana Hoosiers are going to find a way to reach the NCAA Tournament then they are going to need more scoring from the perimeter. The Hoosiers have two very good players on the inside, but they struggle to shoot the ball most nights.

Forward Trayce Jackson-Davis leads the Hoosiers with 20.1 points per game, and he is likely playing in his final season in Bloomington. Jackson-Davis will have his hands full on both ends of the floor in trying to deal with Kofi Cockburn.

Indiana is scoring just 72 points per game while giving up more than 68 points per night. The Hoosiers can’t afford to get into a track meet with Illinois, but that’s easier said then done against the Fighting Illini.

Guards Armaan Franklin and Al Durham have combined for nearly 23 points per game, and they will both play a huge role in this game. If Indiana is making shots then they have a chance to pull off the upset. 

Illinois at Indiana Betting Pick: Fighting Illini Roll Over Hoosiers

Illinois comes into this game with plenty of momentum after beating the Iowa Hawkeyes over the weekend. The Fighting Illini have some big goals this season, and they simply can’t afford to suffer a setback in this game.

Indiana has been playing better of late, but they are just too inconsistent to truly trust. The Hoosiers don’t have the offensive firepower to keep up with Illinois in this game, and they will have to play one of their best defensive games of the season. 

Look for this to be a tight battle most of the way, but Ayo Dosunmu and company are simply too good offensively. Illinois will take over this game in the final five minutes and will win by a comfortable margin. 

Bet the Illinois Fighting Illini -3.5 over the Indiana Hoosiers in this Big Ten Rivalry Game.