Illinois State Redbirds vs UIC Flames Matchup

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

Illinois State vs UIC Prediction

Planning on watching today's Redbirds and Flames game? Catch the action at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, IL, as the Flames hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this Missouri Valley conference contest is set at 148 points, with UIC being favored by -4 at home against Illinois State.

Illinois State vs. UIC Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Illinois State Redbirds at UIC Flames
Where: Chicago at Credit Union 1 Arena
Date: Wednesday, February 5th
Betting Odds ILLCHI -4, ILLST +164 | ILLCHI -198 O/U 148

Redbirds Preview: Will Illinois State Make it Happen on the Road?

Illinois State Redbirds Recent Game/Games

The Redbirds improved to 13-9 on the season with an 86-78 win over Valparaiso on Saturday. Playing at home, Illinois State entered the game as -7.5 point favorites and covered the spread.

Illinois State led 45-38 at halftime and scored 41 points in the 2nd half while allowing 40. The total points for the game were 164, surpassing the O/U line of 144.5.

Redbirds Offense Breakdown

Illinois State's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 86 points with a field goal percentage of 56.9%. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 65.5%, thanks in part to their 71% shooting on two-pointers (22/31) and 40.7% from beyond the arc (11/27). They also connected on 75% of their free throws, going 9-for-12 from the line.

Chase Walker led the way with 24 points, shooting 81.8% from the field (9/11) and adding 7 assists. Dalton Banks was also efficient, hitting 7 of 9 shots for 17 points, while Johnny Kinziger contributed 15 points and 6 assists. The Redbirds finished with 22 assists as a team, with Walker and Kinziger combining for 13 of those.

Redbirds Team Defense

Illinois State’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 78 points on 56% shooting from the field. They allowed the opposing team to shoot 71% from two-point range, with 22 made baskets out of 31 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Illinois State’s opponents hit 11 threes on 27 attempts, good for 40% shooting. The Redbirds also sent them to the free-throw line 12 times, where they converted 9 of those attempts for 75%.

Flames Preview: Will the Flames Win at Credit Union 1 Arena?

UIC fell to 12-8 on the season after an 88-83 home loss to Indiana State on Saturday. The Flames were -8 favorites going into the game but couldn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 171, surpassing the over/under line of 162.5.

After trailing 52-41 at halftime, UIC tightened up defensively in the second half, allowing 36 points while scoring 42. Despite the improved effort, they couldn’t complete the comeback.

Flames Offense Breakdown

UIC's offense put up 83 points in their last game, shooting 41.4% from the field and 31% from beyond the arc. They connected on 9 of 29 three-point attempts, with an effective field goal percentage of 48.6%. At the free-throw line, they were efficient, hitting 16 of 19 for 84.2%.

Camp Wagner led the way with 22 points, shooting 58.3% overall and 55.6% from three (5/9). Filip Skobalj and Ahmad Henderson II each added 20 points, with Skobalj hitting 4 of 8 from deep. The Flames recorded 20 assists and 11 offensive rebounds, with Aaron Gray grabbing 10 boards.

Flames Team Defense

UIC's defense gave up 88 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 41% from the field. They allowed 29 made field goals on 70 attempts.

From two-point range, the other team shot 48%, hitting 20 of 41 shots. From beyond the arc, they went 9 for 29, shooting 31%. UIC also sent them to the free-throw line 19 times, where they made 16 free throws, shooting 84%. UIC gave up 11 offensive rebounds.

Redbirds vs Flames Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past three road matchups, Illinois State has an ATS record of 2-1 while averaging 56 per game. The team went 0-3 overall in these games.
The Flames are 5-0 ATS in their last home games and 4-1 straight-up.
Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, Illinois State has an ATS mark of 3-0 while going 1-2 straight up.
Through their last five games as the favorite, the Flames have an ATS record of 3-2 and a straight up mark of 3-2.