The Minnesota Golden Gophers (17-10, 8-8 Big Ten) head to State Farm Center to face the No. 16 Illinois Fighting Illini'(20-7, 11-5) Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network). Let's analyze FanDuel Sportsbook's lines around the'Maryland vs. lllinois odds'as we make our expert'college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.
Minnesota lost to the Nebraska Cornhuskers 73-55 Sunday. It failed to cover the spread as a 7-point underdog, and the Under (147) hit. The Golden Gophers struggled to shoot, hitting just 31 percent of their shots and 26 percent from deep. Their leading scorer was F Cam Christie with 14 points, followed by 10 from F Dawson Garcia. Minnesota has dropped their last 3 Big Ten road games.
Illinois, which is No. 16 in the , won a 95-85 shootout against the Iowa Hawkeyes Saturday. It covered the spread as a 9.5-point favorite, and went over the 165.5 total. The Fighting Illini hit 10 three-pointers and outscored the Hawkeyes 38-30 in the paint. F Coleman Hawkins had a phenomenal effort, scoring a game-high 30 points, dishing out 5 assists, swiping the ball 5 times and grabbing 2 rebounds. Illinois is averaging 91.5 points per game (PPG) over its last 4.
The Fighting Illini have won the last 6 meetings against Minnesota, including a 78-69 decision Feb. 20, 2023. The Golden Gophers covered the spread as 13.5-point underdogs, and the Over (135.5) hit.