Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Pete Fiutak

Wisconsin vs Illinois Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview

Wisconsin vs Illinois prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch: Wednesday, February 2


Wisconsin vs Illinois How To Watch

Date: Wednesday, February 2
Game Time: 9:00 ET
Venue: State Farm Center, Champaign, IL
How To Watch: BTN
Record: Wisconsin (17-3), Illinois (15-5)
Sign up and live stream college basketball on ESPN+
Today’s Best Bet to Lock in Now

All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Wisconsin vs Illinois Game Preview


Why Wisconsin Will Win

So what are the Badgers doing so right lately in their 9-1 run? They’re hitting the boards very, very hard.

They still lead the nation in fewest turnovers, and they’re hitting everything on the line and getting timely threes, but they don’t shoot all that well. That’s not a big deal if they’re getting second chance points.

It’s not a coincidence that they’re 14-0 when coming up with 29 rebounds or more – including 8-0 when they get at least ten offensive boards – and 3-3 when they don’t.

That one loss in the recent run? Michigan State dominated on the glass – Wisconsin only came up with 17 rebounds.

Illinois doesn’t force mistakes, so as long as Wisconsin can clean up on one end and take its time on the other …

– Latest Polls AP | Coaches

Why Illinois Will Win

Illinois is awesome on the boards. It leads the Big Ten and is among the best in the nation averaging 41 per game.

Take all those stats above for the Badgers and flip them around. If they can’t get the Illini off the offensive glass, forget it.

This is a strong defensive Illini team, and Wisconsin isn’t sharp enough from the field to score in bunches. No, the Badgers don’t hang around in the 50s like Illinois has lately, but if this gets bogged down, the home side should take advantage because …

Top 25 Game Previews, Predictions

What’s Going To Happen

Illinois will out-Wisconsin, Wisconsin.

Possessions will be at a premium in this. Illinois has played its last two games under 60, and won. That works. It doesn’t want to make this an up-and-down track meet in any way.

Wisconsin won’t do enough from the field, Illinois will win the rebounding battle, and this should be a tough fight that comes down to free throws.

If Illinois can hit them, it wins.

Wisconsin vs Illinois Prediction, Lines

Illinois 65, Wisconsin 62
Line: Illinois -7, o/u: 136.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3

Must See Rating: 4

5: Nadal – Medvedev Australian Open Final
1: The shirts Nadal and Medvedev wore in the Australian Open Final

2022 NFL Draft Underclassmen. Early Entrants
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | OTs | OG/Cs
Edge | DEs/DTs | LBs | CBs | Safeties | P/Ks
Top 30 2021 NFL Draft Early Entrants
2022 NFL Draft Early Entrants By College

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.