Livescore
The No. 11 Michigan State Spartans (19-5) and the Illinois Fighting Illini (17-8) square off in a Big Ten battle on Saturday night. The Spartans have hit a rough patch, dropping three of their last four games. On Feb. 11, Indiana defeated Michigan State 71-67. Meanwhile, Illinois has secured two consecutive wins. The Fighting Illini beat UCLA 83-78 in their last contest.
Tipoff from State Farm Center is at 8 p.m. ET. The Fighting Illini are 6.5-point favorites in the latest Michigan State vs. Illinois odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 156.5. Illinois is the -263 (risk $263 to win $100) money line favorite. Before making any Michigan State vs. Illinois picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 15 of the 2024-25 season on a 211-154 betting roll (+2024) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Now, the model has dialed in on Michigan State vs. Illinois and just revealed its coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college basketball betting lines and trends for Michigan State vs. Illinois:
- Michigan State vs. Illinois spread: Fighting Illini -2.5
- Michigan State vs. Illinois over/under: 156.5 points
- Michigan State vs. Illinois money line: Fighting Illini -263, Spartans +213
- Michigan State vs. Illinois picks: See picks here
- Michigan State vs. Illinois streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why Michigan State can cover
Senior guard Jaden Akins is an agile ball handler and shot creator. Atkins leads the team in points (13.4) with 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. The Michigan native has scored 15-plus points in eight games this season. On Feb. 4 against UCLA, Atkins had 15 points, four rebounds, and two assists.
Freshman guard Jase Richardson is another playmaker in the backcourt. Richardson averages 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and shoots 52% from the field. He’s scored 20-plus points in two of his last six games. On Feb. 8 versus Oregon, Richardson notched a career-high 29 points and five rebounds. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why Illinois can cover
Freshman guard Kasparas Jakucionis, a possible lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, has been a force for the Illini this season. Jakucionis finishes around the rim with ease and has good court vision. He leads the team in points (16) and assists (5.2) with 5.6 rebounds per game. He’s tallied 20-plus points and four assists in back-to-back games. In the win over UCLA, Jakucionis finished with 24 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Sophomore center Tomislav Ivisic is a lengthy presence in the frontcourt. Ivisic leads the team in rebounds (8.5) with 13.1 points and 51% from the floor. He’s recorded nine double-doubles this season. In the Feb. 8 contest against Minnesota, Ivisic had 18 points and 11 rebounds. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Michigan State vs. Illinois picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, predicting the teams combine for 150 points. It also says one side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations. You can see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Michigan State vs. Illinois, and which side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up well over $2,000 on top-rated spread picks since its inception, and find out.
Read the full article here
Discussion about this post