Illinois Fighting Illini vs Washington Huskies Matchup

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

Illinois vs Washington Prediction

Betting on today's Fighting Illini and Huskies game? Catch the action at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle, WA, as the Huskies hosts this showdown at 4:00 ET on BTN. Illinois is favored by -8.5 in this Big Ten conference matchup the against Washington. The over/under for the game is set at 155.5 points.

Illinois vs. Washington Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Illinois Fighting Illini at Washington Huskies
Where: Seattle at Alaska Airlines Arena
Date: Sunday, January 5th
Betting Odds ILL -8.5, ILL -357 | WASH +280 O/U 155.5

Fighting Illini Preview: Can Illinois Deliver Being Favored on the Road?

Illinois improved to 10-3 on the season with a dominant 109-77 road win over Oregon on Thursday. The Illini entered the game as +4.5 point underdogs but not only pulled off the upset, they covered the spread with ease.

After leading 45-38 at halftime, Illinois exploded for 64 points in the 2nd half while holding Oregon to 39 points. The game’s total points of 186 went well over the pre-game line of 155.5.

Fighting Illini Offense Breakdown

Illinois put up 109 points in their last game, shooting 57.5% from the field and hitting 16 of 29 threes for a 55.2% rate. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 68.5%, and they connected on 81.8% of their free throws.

Tre White and Supreme Cook led the way with 20 points each, both shooting 8 of 11 from the field. Jake Davis and Kwame Evans Jr. were perfect from deep, each going 2 for 2, while Kylan Boswell hit 4 of 5 threes, finishing with 15 points and 4 assists.

Fighting Illini Team Defense

Illinois gave up 77 points in their latest game, with the opposing team shooting 43% from the field. They allowed 25 two-point field goals on 54 attempts, a 46% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, Illinois' defense held the other team to 5 three-pointers on 15 attempts, a 33% success rate. The opponent also shot 70% from the free-throw line, making 12 of 17 attempts. Illinois allowed 9 offensive rebounds.

Huskies Preview: Can the Huskies Pull Out the Win as Home Underdogs?

Washington improved to 9-4 on the season with a 75-69 win over Maryland on Thursday. The Huskies were +6 point underdogs heading into the game but managed to cover the spread with the win.

Washington trailed 33-30 at halftime but turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring Maryland 45-36. The game’s total points of 144 fell just under the O/U line of 147.5.

Huskies Offense Breakdown

In their last game, the Huskies put up 75 points, shooting 45.6% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 49.1%, thanks to a strong 63.6% shooting inside the arc, though they struggled from deep, hitting just 5 of 24 threes (20.8%).

Julian Reese led the way, shooting 75% from the field and scoring 22 points, while Great Osobor added 20 points and 14 rebounds. Vazoumana Diallo contributed 18 points and 6 assists, and DJ Davis hit 3 of 6 threes, finishing with 17 points.

Huskies Team Defense

Washington's defense gave up 69 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 45% from the field, making 26 of 57 attempts. Inside the arc, the Huskies struggled, allowing 63% shooting on two-point attempts, as their opponents hit 21 of 33 shots.

From three-point range, Washington's defense held strong, limiting their opponents to just 5 made threes on 24 attempts, a 20% success rate. At the free-throw line, their opponents converted 18 of 23 attempts, shooting 78%. The Huskies also allowed 11 offensive rebounds.

Fighting Illini vs Huskies Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Although Illinois has a straight up record of 2-1 in their last three road games, they have not held up as well vs. the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 85 points per game in these games.
Washington has a 2-3 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 68 points per game while allowing 74. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Huskies have gone 3-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 2-3.
Across their last three matchups as the betting favorite, the Fighting Illini have an overall record of 3-0 while going 1-2 against the spread.