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The No. 9 Illinois Fighting Illini (11-2) travel to face No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers (13-1) in a huge Big Ten showdown on Friday night. Illinois is rolling heading into this bout, winning four straight games. On Tuesday evening, the Fighting Illini blew out Northwestern 96-66. Likewise, Purdue has also been red-hot. On Jan. 2, the Boilermakers defeated the Maryland Terrapins 67-53.
Tipoff from Mackey Arena set for 8:30 p.m. ET. Purdue leads the all-time series 105-90. The Boilermakers are 10-point favorites in the latest Illinois vs. Purdue odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 153.5. Before making any Purdue vs. Illinois picks, check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 9 of the 2023-24 season on a 101-66 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $2,000 for $100 players. It is also off to a fast 11-4 start on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Illinois vs. Purdue. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines and trends for Purdue vs. Illinois:
- Illinois vs. Purdue spread: Boilermakers -10
- Illinois vs. Purdue over/under: 153.5 points
- Illinois vs. Purdue money line: Boilermakers -574, Fighting Illini +418
- PUR: 10-3 ATS this season
- ILL: 9-4 ATS this season
- Illinois vs. Purdue picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Purdue can cover
Purdue has a nearly unstoppable offense. The Boilermakers are second in the Big Ten in scoring (85.4) but first in field-goal percentage (.496) and 3-point percentage (.389). They have scored 90-plus points in six games thus far. Center Zach Edey is a massive presence on the court. At 7-foot-4, Edey towers over opposing players.
The Ontario native uses his soft touch around the rim, piling up easy looks at the basket. He ranks fifth in the nation in scoring (23.1) and eighth in rebounds (10.3). In Tuesday’s win over Maryland, Edey had 23 points and 12 boards. That was Edey’s 11th game as the team’s leading scorer. Additionally, that was his eighth double-double on the season, which is tied for sixth in the nation. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why Illinois can cover
Illinois’ offense has been rolling as of late, dropping at least 95 points in three straight outings. Senior forward Marcus Domask is a lengthy scoring threat in the frontcourt. Domask finishes through traffic in the lane with the court vision to be a reliable playmaker. The Wisconsin native is averaging 13.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
On Jan. 2 against Northwestern, Domask dropped 32 points, five boards and six assists. Senior forward Quincy Guerrier is an athletic and energetic player in the frontcourt. Guerrier scores from all three levels while also being a sound rebounder. He’s logged back-to-back double-doubles. In his last outing, Guerrier supplied 14 points and 10 boards. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Illinois vs. Purdue picks
The model has simulated this matchup 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over the total, and it also says one side of the spread hits in nearly 70% of simulations. You can only see the picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Purdue vs. Illinois, and which side of the spread hits nearly 70% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 101-66 roll on its top-ranked college basketball picks, and find out.
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