Illinois Fighting Illini vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 2/5/25
Looking to win big? The Fighting Illini and Scarlet Knights face off at 8:30 ET on BTN. The Scarlet Knights are hosting the game at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, NJ. Illinois is favored by -6.5 in this Big Ten conference contest against Rutgers. The game’s over/under currently sits at 156.5 points.
ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI VS RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Rutgers Scarlet Knights +6.5
This game will be played at Jersey Mike’s Arena at 8:30 ET on Wednesday, February 5th.
WHY BET THE RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Scarlet Knights.
- Not only will Rutgers pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +6.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 156.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 145 points.
Will the Fighting Illini Make it Happen in Piscataway?
Illinois Fighting Illini Recent Game/Games
Illinois improved to 15-7 on the season with an 87-79 home win over Ohio State on Sunday. The Illini, who were favored by 6.5 points, covered the spread. The game’s total points of 166 exceeded the pre-game over/under line of 156.5.
After trailing 42-36 at halftime, Illinois turned things around in the second half, outscoring the Buckeyes 51-37 to secure the win.
Illinois put up 87 points in their last game, shooting 51.7% from the field. They were dominant inside, hitting 68.4% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 4 of 20 threes (20%).
Devin Royal led the way with 29 points, while Will Riley added 24, shooting 77.8% from the field. Bruce Thornton contributed 22 points and 5 assists, hitting 4 threes at a 57.1% rate.
Despite Illinois giving up 79 points, their defense did manage to limit the damage from beyond the arc, holding their opponent to just 4 made threes on 20 attempts, a 20% shooting performance.
However, Illinois struggled to contain the two-point game, allowing their opponent to shoot 68% inside the arc, with 26 made two-point shots. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 31 times, where they converted 23 free throws at a 74% rate.
Does Rutgers Have a Shot at a Home Win?
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Recent Game/Games
Rutgers dropped to 11-11 on the season after a 66-63 home loss to Michigan on Saturday, February 1st. The Scarlet Knights were +6.5 point underdogs going into the game and managed to cover the spread.
After trailing 32-25 at halftime, Rutgers outscored Michigan 38-34 in the second half but couldn’t complete the comeback. The game’s total points (129) fell well short of the 154.5 O/U line.
Rutgers struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 32.8% from the field and 27.8% from beyond the arc, finishing with 63 points. Their effective field goal percentage was 40.3%, and they hit 9 of 13 free throws for 69.2%.
Jamichael Davis led the way with 20 points, hitting 4 of 7 from three-point range. Danny Wolf contributed 16 points and 14 rebounds, while Vladislav Goldin added 14 points, shooting 75% from the field.
Defensively, Rutgers held their opponent to 66 points, with a field goal percentage of just 32% (22/67). They limited two-point shooting to 38% (12/31).
From beyond the arc, Rutgers allowed 10 three-pointers on 36 attempts (27%). Their opponent also went 9/13 from the free-throw line, shooting 69%.