Illinois Fighting Illini vs Minnesota Golden Gophers Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Illinois vs Minnesota NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Minneapolis.

Illinois vs Minnesota Prediction

The Fighting Illini and Golden Gophers are set to face off at 6:00 ET on BTN. The Golden Gophers will host the game at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, MN. Illinois come into this Big Ten conference matchup as the -7.5 favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 144.5 points.

Illinois vs. Minnesota Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Illinois Fighting Illini at Minnesota Golden Gophers
Where: Minneapolis at Williams Arena
Date: Saturday, February 8th
Betting Odds ILL -7.5, ILL -315 | MINNST +246 O/U 144.5

Fighting Illini Preview: Can the Fighting Illini Lock in a Win at Minneapolis?

Illinois Fighting Illini Recent Game/Games

Illinois dropped to 15-8 on the season after an 82-73 road loss to Rutgers on Wednesday. The Illini were -6 favorites going into the game but failed to cover the spread. The over/under line was set at 157.5, and the teams combined for 155 points, falling just short of the total.

After trailing 37-29 at halftime, Illinois put up 44 points in the 2nd half but allowed 45 points to Rutgers, preventing a comeback.

Fighting Illini Offense Breakdown

Illinois managed to score 73 points in their last game, shooting 41.5% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 46.2%, with a strong performance inside the arc, hitting 56.8% of their two-point attempts (21/37). However, they struggled from beyond the arc, making just 6 of 28 three-point attempts (21.4%).

The Illini grabbed 18 offensive rebounds and dished out 13 assists. Dylan Harper led the way with 28 points, shooting 46.7% overall and 60.0% from three (3/5), adding 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Ace Bailey contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Will Riley also scored 18 points, hitting 2 of 5 threes.

Fighting Illini Team Defense

Illinois gave up 82 points in their last game, allowing their opponent to shoot 40% from the field. They held them to 41% on two-point attempts, with the other team making 18 of 43 shots.

From beyond the arc, Illinois allowed 6 threes on 16 attempts, a 37% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the line 34 times, where they converted 28 free throws at an 82% clip. Illinois gave up 16 offensive rebounds.

Golden Gophers Preview: Can the Golden Gophers Please their Home Crowd?

Minnesota Golden Gophers Recent Game/Games

The Golden Gophers improved to 12-11 on the season with a 69-61 win over Penn State on Tuesday. Minnesota, who entered the game as +7 point underdogs, not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

After trailing 25-21 at halftime, Minnesota turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring Penn State 48-36. The game’s total points of 130 fell short of the 140.5 O/U line.

Golden Gophers Offense Breakdown

In their last game, the Golden Gophers shot 53.1% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 57.1%. They hit 60% of their two-point attempts and 35.7% from beyond the arc, making 5 of 14 threes. At the free-throw line, Minnesota connected on 12 of 15 attempts, good for 80%.

Dawson Garcia led the way with 19 points and 14 rebounds, shooting 46.7% from the field. D'Marco Dunn added 18 points, hitting 2 of 4 from deep, while Lu'Cye Patterson and Brennan Rigsby each contributed 14 points, with Rigsby going a perfect 5 for 5 from the floor and 2 for 2 from three-point range.

Golden Gophers Team Defense

Despite Minnesota's defensive efforts, they allowed 61 points while holding the opposing team to just 34% shooting from the field. The Golden Gophers limited their opponents to 36% on two-point attempts, with the other team making 14 of 38 shots.

From beyond the arc, Minnesota's defense gave up 6 threes on 20 attempts, a 30% shooting rate. The opposing team also went to the free-throw line 20 times, converting 15 of those for 75%. Minnesota allowed 14 offensive rebounds in the game.

Fighting Illini vs Golden Gophers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last five road contests, the Fighting Illini offense has averaged 80 points per game while allowing an average of 77. Illinois posted an overall record of 2-3 while going 1-4 ATS.
In their last five home games, Minnesota has averaged 64 points per game while allowing 71. The team's record in this stretch was 2-3 while going 3-2.
As the betting underdog, the Golden Gophers have an ATS record of 4-1 in their last five games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 4-1.
As the betting favorite, the Fighting Illini have an ATS mark of just 1-2 in their last three games. Illinois posted a straight up mark of 1-2 in these matchups.