Minnesota vs. Illinois Free Pick
CHAMPAIGN, IL (ATS Consultants) – Ranked Big Ten teams will clash at Assembly Hall tonight when No. 8 Minnesota takes on No. 12 Illinois at 9:00PM ET.
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GAME INFO: Last game: (1-28-12). MINNESOTA (-4.5) over Illinois, 77-72ot. The Minnesota Golden Gophers (14-1 SU, 9-4 ATS) are off to a very strong start after they beat Northwestern, 69-51 on Sunday, giving 17, to win their 10th straight game. Illinois (14-2 SU, 6-7 ATS) is coming off a 74-55 win over Ohio State, getting 3. The Golden Gophers visit Assembly Hall in Champaign, IL to take on the Fighting Illini at 9pmET.
ODDS: Oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv have installed Minnesota as a 2-point favorite versus Illinois, while the over/under total is currently sitting at 142.5. The Golden Gophers are currently 14-1 overall and 2-0 on the road, while Illinois is 14-2 overall and 8-0 at home.
LINE MOVEMENT: Minnesota opened as a 1.5-point favorite and remained there at most books. The total started at 141 and moved to 141.5 in most books.
PUBLIC BETTING: Of the wagers placed on tonight’s game, 57% of college basketball public bettors currently favor Illinois. This information is subject to change, however, so make sure you click on the link provided for the most up-to-date public betting numbers.
NCAA FREE PICK: Take Illinois. According to the latest college basketball trends, Minnesota is 5-13 ATS in the last 18 meetings and is 3-10 ATS in the last 13 meetings in Illinois. Illinois is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
This will be a big test for Minnesota, who begins a tough three-game slate when it visits the Illini. The Gophers are seeking their first 3-0 start in Big Ten play since 1996-97. Minnesota struggled offensively in the first half against Northwestern, shooting 33.3 percent from the floor to score a season-low 17 points. Austin Hollins — the team’s third-leading scorer (11.1) — ignited the Gophers in the second half, scoring 14 of his 19 on 5-of-7 shooting. Illinois had lost two of three before bouncing back with an impressive 74-55 victory over then-No. 8 Ohio State on Saturday. The Fighting Illini improved to 8-0 at home. Star guard Brandon Paul had 19 points and scored in double figures in all 16 games. Paul continues to lead Illinois with 18.5 ppg and was 11 of 22 from the floor in his first two conference games, including 6 of 13 from beyond the arc. The Illini got a boost from 6-foot-11 center Nnanna Egwu, who scored a personal-best 16 points after coming in averaging 6.0 on the season. The sophomore had tallied 10 or more points only three times previously in his career. Paul scored 28 points in a 77-72 loss at Minnesota on Jan. 28, 2012, the second consecutive matchup that went into overtime. He’ll do that again but this time Illinois is home and they’ll get the best of the Golden Gophers this time.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL FREE PICK: ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI +2
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