Illinois Fighting Illini vs Minnesota Golden Gophers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 2/8/25
Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Fighting Illini versus the Golden Gophers? Tip off is at at 6:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on BTN. The game will be played at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, MN. Illinois is favored by -7.5 in this Big Ten conference contest against Minnesota. The game’s over/under currently sits at 144.5 points.
ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI VS MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Minnesota Golden Gophers +7.5
This game will be played at Williams Arena at 6:00 ET on Saturday, February 8th.
WHY BET THE MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Golden Gophers.
- Not only will Minnesota pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +7.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 144.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.
Does Illinois Have a Shot at a Road Win?
Illinois Fighting Illini Recent Game/Games
Illinois dropped to 15-8 on the season after an 82-73 road loss to Rutgers on Wednesday. The Illini, who were -6 point favorites, failed to cover the spread.
After trailing 37-29 at halftime, Illinois scored 44 points in the 2nd half but allowed 45. The game’s total points of 155 fell just short of the 157.5 O/U line.
In their last game, Illinois put up 73 points, shooting 41.5% from the field. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 6 of 28 attempts for a 21.4% rate, while their effective field goal percentage stood at 46.2%. Inside the arc, they were more efficient, converting 56.8% of their two-point shots.
Dylan Harper led the way with 28 points, connecting on 3 of 5 threes, while also contributing 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Ace Bailey and Will Riley each added 18 points, with Bailey grabbing 11 boards. Illinois also pulled down 18 offensive rebounds and dished out 13 assists as a team.
Illinois gave up 82 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 40% from the field, hitting 24 of 59 shots. They managed to contain two-point attempts to 41% shooting, with the other team making 18 of 43.
From beyond the arc, Illinois allowed 6 threes on 16 attempts, a 37% success rate. They also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 34 times, where they converted 28 for 82%. Illinois gave up 16 offensive rebounds.
Is A Home Victory Likely for Underdog Minnesota?
Minnesota Golden Gophers Recent Game/Games
The Gophers improved to 12-11 on the season with a 69-61 win over Penn State on Tuesday. Minnesota, who entered the game as +7 point underdogs, not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.
After trailing 25-21 at halftime, the Gophers exploded for 48 points in the second half while holding Penn State to 36. The game’s total points of 130 fell short of the 140.5 O/U line.
In their latest game, the Golden Gophers put up 69 points, shooting 53.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 57.1%. They connected on 60% of their two-point attempts (21/35) and hit 35.7% from beyond the arc (5/14), while also making 80% of their free throws (12/15).
Dawson Garcia led the way with 19 points and 14 rebounds, shooting 46.7% from the field. D’Marco Dunn added 18 points, hitting 2 of 4 from three, and Lu’Cye Patterson and Brennan Rigsby each contributed 14 points, with Rigsby going a perfect 5/5 from the field, including 2/2 from deep.
Despite Minnesota’s defensive efforts, they couldn’t hold off their opponent, who scored 61 points. The Golden Gophers limited them to 34% shooting from the field, with 20 made baskets on 58 attempts.
Inside the arc, Minnesota’s defense held their opponent to 36% shooting, as they went 14/38 on two-point attempts. From three-point range, the opposition shot 30%, hitting 6 of their 20 attempts. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 20 times, where they made 15 free throws, shooting 75%.