Illinois Fighting Illini at Texas Longhorns Betting Preview
06 December 2022
The Jimmy V Classic is set to tip off on Tuesday night, and there is a terrific matchup to be played at Madison Square Garden. The Illinois Fighting Illini will take on the Texas Longhorns in what could be a Final Four preview.
Illinois comes into this game with an overall record of 6-2, and they are currently the 17th-ranked team in the most recent poll. The Fighting Illini were beaten by the Maryland Terrapins on Friday night to begin Big Ten action.
Texas comes into this game with a perfect 6-0 record, and they are all the way up to number two in the latest poll. The Longhorns already have big wins over Gonzaga and Creighton this season to build their resume.
The Texas Longhorns are two-point betting favorites over the Illinois Fighting Illini on Tuesday night.
Illini Must Make Shots
If Illinois is going to pick up this win over the Texas Longhorns, then they are going to have to shoot it really well from deep. Illinois is shooting 48 percent from the floor this season, but they are too streaky from the three-point line.
Terrence Shannon Jr. is having a monster season for Illinois, as he leads the team with 19.8 points per game. Illinois needs Matthew Mayer to get things going, and he is a player that has plenty of experience in playing Texas.
The Fighting Illini no longer have elite size in the paint, but they are longer and more athletic. Illinois is giving up just 60 points per game, and they are averaging 9.1 steals per game.
Longhorns Love to Defend
Texas has gotten off to a 6-0 start this season on the strength of the defense, and this team loves to make teams miserable on that end of the floor. The Longhorns are holding teams to just 55 points per game, and they just shut down an explosive Creighton team in the most recent game.
The aggressive defense for Texas has led to them scoring 80 points per game as they get a ton of layups. Tyrese Hunter leads the team with 16 points per game, but there are plenty of scoring options on this team.
Texas wants to shut Illinois down and win this with defense, but they are also good enough to take over offensively if they need.
Illini Pull Off the Upset
This game is going to be extremely competitive, and it’s a battle that we could see later on in the year in the NCAA Tournament. Texas has the better overall resume at this point in the season, but Illinois has played a ton of great teams.
This is likely going to be a low-scoring affair, and that’s going to work in favor of Illinois and that young roster. The Fighting Illini do have some great shooters on the team, and they will get hot when they need it the most.
This game will be decided in the final minute, and it will be Brad Underwood’s squad that comes up with the biggest play. Bet the Illinois Fighting Illini moneyline as they will upset the Texas Longhorns at the Jimmy V Classic on Tuesday night.
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