The Illinois Fighting Illini take on the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston, IL. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.
Illinois is favored by 3.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -175. The total is set at 144 points.
Here’s my Illinois vs. Northwestern predictions and college basketball picks for December 6, 2024.
Illinois vs Northwestern Prediction
My Pick: Northwestern +3.5
My Illinois vs Northwestern best bet is on the Wildcats spread, with the best odds currently available at BetMGM. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Illinois vs Northwestern Odds
| Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -108 | 144 -110 / -110 | -175 |
| Northwestern Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -112 | 144 -110 / -110 | +145 |
- Illinois vs Northwestern spread: Illinois -3.5
- Illinois vs Northwestern over/under: 144 points
- Illinois vs Northwestern moneyline: Illinois -175, Northwestern +145
- Illinois vs Northwestern best bet: Northwestern +3.5
Spread
I'm taking the Wildcats on the spread.
Moneyline
I'm avoiding the moneyline.
Over/Under
I'm passing on the over/under.
My Pick: Northwestern +3.5
Illinois vs Northwestern College Basketball Betting Preview
Illinois and Northwestern meet in a conference tilt to determine bragging rights in the Land of Lincoln.
Northwestern enters at 0-1 in Big Ten play, looking to get right after narrowly falling on the road to Iowa.
Meanwhile, Illinois has been a pleasant surprise to start the year, far ahead of where one would expect a team that ranks 345th in minutes continuity and 312th in experience to be. Granted, the Illini have played a bottom 50 schedule, but Brad Underwood and Co. are a robust 5-2 against the number with a +9.1 average cover margin.
Illinois hasn’t won at Welsh-Ryan since 2022, as the Wildcats have been feisty in their renovated digs over the past few seasons. Northwestern has yet to beat a top 100 team, but it’s lost three games to stiff competition by a combined eight points. Chris Collins’ squad is experienced and has logged many games together.
The Illini boast one of the most efficient offenses in the country and always seem to get a great shot every time down the floor. Underwood runs a spread-out attack that puts his best two ball handlers – Kasparas Jakucionis and Kylan Boswell – in pick-and-rolls.
Illinois will always have four or five guys on the floor who can shoot, making it challenging for teams with more plodding bigs to defend the perimeter. If rookie 7-foot-1 center Tomislav Ivisic keeps shooting 38% from 3, Illinois’ offense will be unstoppable.
The Wildcats have been excellent in ball screen coverage this season. Their perimeter is chock full of big guards and wings, though the big man tandem of Matthew Nicholson and Luke Hunger isn’t the fleetest of foot.
Illinois should have ample pick-and-pop opportunities against Northwestern’s frontcourt. However, the Wildcats have defended the 3-point arc well, which is key against an incendiary Illini squad that can get hot and stay hot in an instant.
Northwestern’s offense is a half-court attack that looks to destroy its opposition by a thousand basket cuts. The Wildcats are patient and use their motion to control tempo and get clean looks around the paint area.
To date, Illinois has posted gaudy 2-point-field-goal-percentage defensive stats, but Alabama was able to shoot 68% inside the arc, and Arkansas found plenty of success inside the lane as well. The bruising Wildcats are an all-out hustle team, so any lackadaisical defensive possession or missed box out will be severely punished.
Illinois feels a bit overvalued in the market right now. Sure, the Illini have taken care of business by smoking inferior competition, but they haven’t been truly tested outside of Alabama – especially in a true road environment.
And we saw in the preseason a more physical, experienced Ole Miss team throw this bunch around like a pit bull throws a chew toy.
Northwestern should be foaming at the mouth to even its record in the Big Ten standings, while the young Illini look to get their first taste of life on the road in conference play.
