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Illinois Fighting Illini at Michigan Wolverines Betting Preview

02 March 2021

The Big Ten Conference just continues to have big-time matchups on the schedule, and there will be another one on Tuesday night. The Michigan Wolverines host the Illinois Fighting Illini, and both teams are top-four teams at the moment.

Illinois comes into this game with an overall record of 18-6, and they have gone 14-4 so far in Big Ten Conference action. The Fighting Illini have won nine of their last 10 games, and they are the only team that can challenge Michigan for the Big Ten regular-season title.

Michigan has gone an impressive 18-1 this season, and they are 13-1 in conference games. The Wolverines were able to bounce back from a long pause due to COVID-19, and they have not shown any rust. 

The Michigan Wolverines are eight-point favorites at home over the Illinois Fighting Illini in this game. 

Dynamic Duo Leading Illini

The Fighting Illini are led by a dynamic duo in Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn. Dosunmu is arguably the best guard in the country, and Cockburn is a double-double machine down low.

Dosunmu has missed the last two games with a facial injury, and his status for this game is up in the air. The guard leads the team with 21.0 points and 5.3 assists per game and has already registered a pair of double-doubles this season.

Illinois is averaging over 81 points per game, and they do have plenty of other scoring options if Dosunmu is not able to suit up. This team appears to be peaking at the right time, and they aren’t afraid of any opponents. 

Michigan Doing it All Well

The Michigan Wolverines are averaging 78.8 points per game while allowing just 65 points per game to their opponents. This has allowed the Wolverines to earn a number of comfortable victories, but they need to be tested before March Madness begins.

Freshman center Hunter Dickinson leads the team with 14.8 points per game, and he is shooting over 62 percent from the floor. Dickinson will have a tough matchup with Cockburn in this game, and that battle could determine the outcome.

The Wolverines are shooting 39 percent from the three-point line, and they are impossible to beat when they are making shots. Michigan is a tough-minded team, and a win on Tuesday night would be another impressive statement. 

Fighting Illini Keep it Close

The Michigan Wolverines have been blowing teams out all season long, but this should be their toughest challenge of the year. Both teams look like legitimate Final Four contenders, and this should be a terrific game.

Playing on their home floor is a huge boost to the Wolverines, and they have the size that will give the Fighting Illini a challenge. Illinois has the better offensive team, but this game will be won on the defensive end of the floor.

The Michigan Wolverines will clinch the outright Big Ten title with a win in this game, but Illinois is going to cover the spread. Take the Fighting Illini +8.0 in this matchup with the Michigan Wolverines.

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