Illinois Fighting Illini vs Northwestern Wildcats NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/6/24
Looking to win big? The Fighting Illini and Wildcats face off at 9:00 ET on BTN. The Wildcats are hosting the game at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, IL. Illinois come into this Big Ten conference matchup as the -3.5 favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 143.5 points.
ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI VS NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Northwestern Wildcats +3.5
This game will be played at Welsh-Ryan Arena at 9:00 ET on Friday, December 6th.
WHY BET THE NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Wildcats.
- Not only will Northwestern pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +3.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 143.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.
Will Illinois Live Up to Expectations on the Road?
Illinois Fighting Illini Recent Game/Games
Illinois improved to 6-1 on the season with a 90-77 home win over Arkansas on Thursday. The Illini, who were -4.5 favorites, covered the spread, and the game’s total points of 167 exceeded the O/U line of 155.
Illinois took control early, leading 49-34 at halftime. While they allowed 43 points in the 2nd half, they scored 41 to secure the win.
Illinois put up 90 points in their last game, shooting 52.6% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 66.7%, thanks in part to hitting 15 threes at a 48.4% clip.
Adou Thiero and Kasparas Jakucionis each scored 26 points, with Jakucionis adding 4 assists. Tomislav Ivisic contributed 21 points and 10 rebounds, connecting on 6 of 9 threes.
Illinois struggled defensively, giving up 77 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 52% from the field. The Fighting Illini couldn’t contain the two-point shooting, with 15 of 26 shots falling for a 57% rate.
From beyond the arc, Illinois allowed 15 threes on 31 attempts, a 48% success rate. They also sent their opponent to the line 22 times, where they converted 15 free throws at a 68% clip.
Can Northwestern Grab a Win at Home?
Northwestern dropped to 6-3 on the season after a narrow 80-79 loss to Iowa on Tuesday. The Wildcats, who were +5.5 point underdogs going into the game, managed to cover the spread. The total points ended at 159, surpassing the pre-game over/under line of 148.
After trailing 45-34 at halftime, Northwestern rallied in the second half, outscoring Iowa 45-35, but fell just short of completing the comeback.
Northwestern put up 79 points in their last game, shooting 48.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 55%. They hit 38.1% from three-point range, connecting on 8 of 21 attempts, and were strong from the free-throw line, making 81.2% of their shots (13/16).
Josh Dix led the way with 22 points, shooting 56.2% overall and 37.5% from deep. Brooks Barnhizer added 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Payton Sandfort and Ty Berry each contributed 20 points, with Berry hitting 5 of 9 threes. Brock Harding dished out 8 assists to go with his 12 points.
Northwestern struggled defensively, giving up 80 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 54% from the field. They had particular trouble inside, where the opposing team hit 65% of their two-point attempts, going 21/32.
From beyond the arc, Northwestern’s defense allowed 9 threes on 23 attempts, a 39% shooting clip. They sent their opponent to the free-throw line 19 times, where they converted 11 shots, shooting 57%. Northwestern limited second-chance opportunities, giving up just 5 offensive rebounds.