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The Wisconsin Badgers will host the Illinois Fighting Illini in their home arena, the Kohl Center, on Saturday night in what is expected to be a captivating battle between two well-rounded programs.
In the first meeting between these two Big Ten rivals on February 6th, the Illinois Fighting Illini earned a convincing 75-60 victory.
Since then, the Badgers have gone just 2-3 and dropped to sixth place in the Big Ten. Meanwhile, the Fighting Illini went 4-1 and sit just one game behind the Michigan Wolverines for first place in the conference standings.
Match Details
Fixture: Illinois Fighting Illini vs Wisconsin Badgers - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date & Time: Saturday, February 27th, 2021, 2 PM ET
Venue: Kohl Center, Madison, Wisconsin
College Basketball Bets Today: Illinois Fighting Illini vs Wisconsin Badgers Betting Odds, Lines, and over/under
The Illinois Fighting Illini control the historical record against the Wisconsin Badgers, with 55 wins and 76 losses. However, the Badgers have won 8 of the last 10 matchups.
Illinois Fighting Illini
The Illinois Fighting Illini defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers 86-70 for their fourth victory in five games. During that stretch, the Fighting Illini averaged 80.4 points a game while giving up 70.4.
However, the biggest variable that could dictate the outcome of this weekend's game is Ayo Dosunmu's health. He missed the Nebraska game due to a facial injury that he suffered against the Michigan State Spartans on Tuesday night.
If Dosunmu is unable to play, it will mean that Illinois' other John Wooden Award nominee, Kofi Cockburn, will see an increased workload on both offense and defense.
Cockburn had a strong showing against the Wisconsin Badgers in the first game this season, scoring 23 points and collecting 14 rebounds.
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Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers continue to drop games after being ranked as high as number six in the AP Top 25 Poll earlier in the season. They have lost five of their last nine games and are struggling to put points on the board.
The Badgers are scoring just 69.8 points per game, which ranks them as far back as 219th in all of Divison I basketball.
However, if there is one thing that can get the Wisconsin Badgers out of their slump, it is their experience. The Badgers have seven seniors on the roster this season, three of which scored over double-digits in their last outing.
Odds:
Illinois Fighting Illini: +2 (-110)
Wisconsin Badgers: -2 (-110)
Moneyline:
Illinois Fighting Illini: --
Wisconsin Badgers: --
Over/Under:
Over: 137.5 (-110)
Under: 137.5 (-110)
Illinois vs Wisconsin Prediction
The best bet would be to take the Wisconsin Badgers at -2 and under. With Ayo Dosunmu's status still questionable, the Badgers will have a big matchup advantage in the backcourt.
Again, If Dosunmu is out, he will not be able to dictate the game's tempo, which means the Wisconsin Badgers will be able to play their normal slow half-court basketball. This will likely result in the game being low-scoring.
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