Northwestern Wildcats at Illinois Fighting Illini ATS Prediction 01/18/20

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A five-game home winning streak hangs in the balance for the 24th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini (12-5, 4-2 Big 10) when they welcome the Northwestern Wildcats (6-10, 1-5 Big 10) to State Farm Center. Action gets underway at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 18, 2020.

Northwestern Wildcats at Illinois Fighting Illini ATS Odds

In their last outing, the Fighting Illini barely escaped the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, 54-51, while the Wildcats fell to the Iowa Hawkeyes, 75-62.

Illinois dominated nearly every facet of the game. They had a free throw rate of 0.254 (matching their season average) and a turnover percentage of 10.1 (better than their season average of 16.8). For those same stats, Rutgers had marks of 0.051 and 15.0, respectively. Northwestern, meanwhile, had an offensive rebounding percentage of 32.5 (above their season average of 23.3). Kofi Cockburn played well for Illinois, finishing with 11 points and 17 rebounds. Meanwhile, Pete Nance played a pivotal role for Northwestern with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The Fighting Illini captured this series last year, securing victories in two out of three games. In the most recent matchup, Illinois won 74-69. Illinois did a great job of converting from the charity stripe (13-17; 76.5 percent). Northwestern, on the other hand, had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (28.0 vs. 18.4). This is the first time these teams will go head-to-head this year.

The high-powered offense of Illinois will clash against the mid-tier defense of Northwestern. The Fighting Illini rank 55th in offensive efficiency, while the Wildcats are 193rd in defensive efficiency. The Fighting Illini figure to have the edge on that end of the court.

Northwestern vs. Illinois Betting Pick

Free College Basketball Pick: SU Winner – Illinois, ATS Winner – Illinois, O/U – Over

Betting Notes:

  • Illinois ranks 10th in rebounds per game (41.6) while Northwestern ranks 181st (34.9).
  • The Fighting Illini rank 60th in assists allowed per game (11.2) while the Wildcats rank 228th (15.4).
  • Northwestern ranks 200th in three pointers attempted per game (19.8) while Illinois ranks 251st (17.6).

Bettings Trends:

  • The Wildcats have been outscored by an average of 4.4 points in their last five games. For the season, Northwestern has defeated opponents by an average of 0.2 points.
  • During their last five games, the Fighting Illini have scored an average of 67.8 points per game (8.1 below their season average) and allowed an average of 59.6 points per game (4.8 below their season average).