The #15 Illinois Fighting Illini (19-8, 12-5 Big Ten) plays its final road contest of the regular season in a matchup against the Michigan Wolverines (15-11, 9-7 Big Ten). Illinois defeated Michigan, 68-53, in their first meeting earlier this season.
Sunday’s tip-off is at 2 p.m. EST inside the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, MI. The spread is currently a pick ‘em, and the over-under total is at 141.5 points.
What to Know – Illinois Fighting Illini
It has been an up and down last few weeks for the Illini heading into the conference tournament. Illinois is 14th in the NCAA NET rankings and 18th in the KenPom. The Fighting Illini sit in third in the conference standings, 1.5 games back of the top spot.
Illinois is third in the league, scoring 76.3 points per game, shooting 45.6% from the field, and 36.4% from the 3-point line. The Fighting Illini surrender 67.4 points per game, 41.0% shooting from the floor, and 32.1% from deep.
Trailing by 12 points late in the second half, the Fighting Illini ripped a quick 10-0 run to cut the lead to just two but ultimately was unable to pull ahead in an 86-83 loss at home to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Alfonso Plummer poured in 26 points, and Jacob Grandison added 14. The loss was just the Illini’s third defeat at home this year.
Illinois is 12-15 against the spread and 4-6 ATS on the road. The Fighting Illini are 4-1 ATS over their last five contests against the Wolverines.
What to Know – Michigan Wolverines
The Wolverines enter the final week of the regular season without their head coach and squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Michigan will play four games between Sundays, with the first three all coming at home. The Wolverines are 34th in the NET rankings and 32nd in the KenPom.
Michigan is in the middle of the conference averaging 72.2 points per game, hitting 46.7% of its shots from the floor and 33.3% of its shots from deep. On defense, the Wolverines limit opponents to 68.4 points per game, 43.8% shooting from the field, and a conference-best 30.4% from three.
Caleb Houstan scored a career-high 21 points, helping the Wolverines pull away from Rutgers on Wednesday night, 71-62. Hunter Dickinson netted 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season. Michigan never trailed in the contest.
Michigan has an 11-15 record ATS with a 5-7 mark at home. The Wolverines are 13-3 ATS over their previous 16 contests against Illinois in Ann Arbor.
The Pick is In
Two teams with still a lot to play for should make for an entertaining Sunday afternoon. Illinois can strengthen their position in both the Big Ten conference and NCAA Tournament, while the Wolverines need to pick up some key victories to get off the bubble.
Illinois has won their last four games against the Wolverines and can sweep the regular-season series on Sunday. Kofi Cockburn has a big game, and the Fighting Illini make it three-straight wins in Ann Arbor.
Betting Pick: Illinois Fighting Illini ML
