Wisconsin (17-3) at Illinois (15-5)
When: Tuesday, February 2nd 2022
Where: State Farm Center,
Champagne, IL
Time: 9:00 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Illinois -6.5/139
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The top two teams in the Big Ten Conference are set to meet Wednesday night for their only regular season meeting. The 11th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers travel to Champagne to take on the No. 18 Illinois Fighting Illini at 9:00 ET from State Farm Center. The Badgers had a near-perfect January, going 7-1 straight-up and 5-3 ATS after a hard-fought 66-60 win versus Minnesota on Sunday. This will be Wisconsin’s third game in seven days that included a 73-65 road victory at Nebraska last Thursday. The Badgers are shooting 42.7 percent from beyond the arc over the past five conference games and are 10-1 this season in games decided by six points or fewer.
Illinois needed a late rally to fend off Northwestern on Saturday 59-56. They were down 51-46 with 5:36 to play before they took the game over. After missing the previous two games in concussion protocol, 7-foot junior center Kofi Cockburn returned to record 22 points and nine rebounds. He will have a good challenge Wednesday against Wisconsin’s 7-foot tandem of Steven Crowl and Chris Vogt. Illinois has won each of the past three meetings against Wisconsin, breaking a 15-game losing streak to the Badgers. The Illini covered the spread in both meetings last season including a 75-60 home win as 4-point favorites. Wisconsin comes in as 6.5-point road dogs in this contest with a total of 140.
In Wisconsin’s win over Minnesota on Sunday, sophomore forward Johnny Davis finished with a double-double of 16 points and 15 rebounds, while junior Tyler Wahl contributed 15 points. Wisconsin had the rebounding edge as well, including a 13-2 advantage on the offensive glass. Davis scored the final six points after the game was tied 60-60 with 2 1/2 minutes remaining. Davis is averaging 21.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest, while Brad Davison averages 15.7 points. Wahl is next at 10.8 points and 5.8 rebounds. Crowl has scored at least nine points in seven straight games and freshman guard Chucky Hepburn has just 25 turnovers while logging 31 minutes per game. The Badgers are 201st in the nation in adjusted tempo, but are No. 1 in turnover rate at 12.5.
Illinois has won two straight after back-to-back losses to Purdue and Maryland. The Illini edged out Michigan State 56-55 and Northwestern 59-56. Cockburn has been terrific on both ends of the floor and is averaging 21.1 points, 11.6 rebounds on 58.9 percent shooting from the field. He and Oakland’s Jamal Cain are the only players in the nation averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. Cockburn had 42 points and 21 rebounds in the two games versus Wisconsin last season. Four other players average in double-figures for the Illini – Alfonso Plummer (15.8), Trent Frazier (13.1), Jacob Grandison (10.7) and Andre Curbelo (10.2). Illinois likes to play slow as well, ranking 220th in adjusted tempo and are eighth in the country with a 36.8 offensive rebounding rate.
Both teams play great defense, which sets the stage for a lower-scoring game. The Badgers are 7-2 ATS away from home this season and 8-1 straight-up. Wisconsin also plays a lot of close games, which makes taking the points in this one a no-brainer.
Pick: Wisconsin +6.5
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