Illinois Fighting Illini vs Ohio State Buckeyes Matchup

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

Ohio State vs Illinois Prediction

Planning on watching today's Buckeyes and Fighting Illini game? Catch the action at State Farm Center in Champaign, IL, as the Fighting Illini hosts this showdown at 1:00 ET on CBS. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 156 points, and Illinois is favored by -6.5 to win at home against Ohio State.

Ohio State vs. Illinois Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Ohio State Buckeyes at Illinois Fighting Illini
Where: Champaign at State Farm Center
Date: Sunday, February 2nd
Betting Odds ILL -6.5, OHIOST +215 | ILL -275 O/U 156

Buckeyes Preview: Does Ohio State Have What it Takes to Win as Road Underdogs?

Ohio State Buckeyes Recent Game/Games

Ohio State improved to 13-8 on the season with an 83-64 road win over Penn State on Thursday. Entering the game as +3.5 point underdogs, the Buckeyes not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

Ohio State led 43-33 at halftime and continued their strong play in the 2nd half, outscoring Penn State 40-31. The total points for the game were 147, just under the O/U line of 147.5.

Buckeyes Offense Breakdown

Ohio State put up 83 points in their last game, shooting 46.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.2%. They connected on 36.4% of their three-point attempts, going 8-for-22, and hit 73.9% from the free-throw line, making 17 of 23 attempts.

Yanic Konan Niederhauser led the Buckeyes with 21 points, shooting 57.1% from the field. Bruce Thornton was hot from beyond the arc, hitting 5 of 7 threes and finishing with 17 points. John Mobley Jr. added 19 points and 8 assists, while Zach Hicks knocked down 3 of 6 threes, contributing 13 points.

Buckeyes Team Defense

Ohio State's defense gave up 64 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 45% from the field. The Buckeyes allowed 55% shooting on two-point attempts, with the opposing team hitting 15 of 27 shots.

From beyond the arc, Ohio State held their opponents to 31% shooting, as they made 6 of 19 three-point attempts. The Buckeyes also sent the other team to the free-throw line 29 times, where they converted 16 attempts, shooting 55%. Ohio State limited offensive rebounds, giving up just 4 in the game.

Fighting Illini Preview: Will the Fighting Illini Come Through as Home Favorites?

Illinois Fighting Illini Recent Game/Games

Illinois dropped to 14-7 on the season after a 80-74 road loss to Nebraska on Thursday. The Fighting Illini, who were -4.5 favorites going into the game, failed to cover the spread.

Illinois trailed 40-31 at halftime but made things interesting by outscoring Nebraska 39-30 in the second half. The game’s total points of 154 fell just under the O/U line of 155.5.

Fighting Illini Offense Breakdown

Illinois struggled from the field in their latest game, shooting just 35.6% overall and 23.8% from three-point range, connecting on 10 of 42 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 42.5%, but they managed to grab 20 offensive rebounds, which helped them score 74 points.

Brice Williams led the way with 27 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 10 of 26 from the field. Kasparas Jakucionis added 18 points and 13 rebounds, hitting 3 of 10 from beyond the arc.

Fighting Illini Team Defense

Despite Illinois giving up 80 points, they held their opponent to 39% shooting from the field. The defense allowed 26 two-point baskets on 58 attempts, a 44% conversion rate.

From beyond the arc, Illinois limited their opponent to 5 threes on 20 attempts, a 25% success rate. They also sent the other team to the line 18 times, where they made 13 free throws, shooting 72%.

Buckeyes vs Fighting Illini Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

The Buckeyes are 4-1 ATS in their last road games and 4-1 straight-up.
When looking at their past ten home matchups, Illinois has an ATS record of 4-6 while averaging 77 per game. The team went 6-4 overall in these games.
In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Buckeyes have a straight up record of 5-5 and an ATS mark of 7-3.
Spanning across their last three games as the betting favorite, the Fighting Illini have gone 1-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.