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We have an in-state rivalry in the Big Ten on Saturday as the No. 24 Illinois Fighting Illini head up to the Chicago suburb of Evanston to meet the Northwestern Wildcats.
Illinois (14-5, 7-2 Big Ten) ended a two-game losing by taking down Michigan State in a tight 56-55 affair on Tuesday. The Illini established a 14-point lead at halftime and despite being stifled on offense in the final 10 minutes of the game, they still managed to hang on for the win. Trent Frazier led with 16 points and five assists.
Northwestern (9-9, 2-7 Big Ten) continues to struggle in conference play and dropped its third straight game in a 72-70 loss to Michigan on Wednesday. The Wildcats let a seven-point lead with 4:45 left slip away as the Wolverines were able to grind away and emerge victorious. Pete Nance led with 14 points and six rebounds in the loss.
How to watch Illinois vs. Northwestern
When: Saturday, January 29th, 4:30 p.m. ET
Where: Welsh-Ryan Arena, Evanston, Illinois
TV: Big Ten Network
Where to live stream online: Big Ten Network on FOX Sports, FOX Sports App
Live updates and stats: At DraftKings Sportsbook
Odds
Spread: Illinois -3
Total: 139.5
The Pick
Illinois -3
Northwestern’s record is not reflective of where it stands from a statistical standpoint. The Wildcats are a Top 65 team in KenPom and outside of a 20-point loss to Purdue last Sunday, they’ve mostly kept things close in every Big Ten game so far.
With that being said, the Illini outflanks them on both sides of the ball. A three-point spread is enough for Illinois to cover so lay it with the Illini.
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