Washington vs. Illinois Prediction, Odds for College Basketball on Thursday, Jan. 29

The Illinois Fighting Illini are the No. 9-ranked team in the country, sporting a 17-3 overall record, including an 8-1 record in Big Ten play. They have a great chance to improve on their record tonight when they host the Washington Huskies, who have struggled this season with an 11-9 overall record and a 3-6 mark in the Big Ten.

Let's dive into the odds and my best bet for Thursday night's conference showdown.

Washington vs. Illinois Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook

Spread

Washington +12.5 (-115)
Illinois -12.5 (-105)

Moneyline

Washington +575
Illinois -900

Total

OVER 152.5 (-115)
UNDER 152.5 (-105)

Washington vs. Illinois How to Watch

Date: Thursday, January 29
Game Time: 9:00 pm ET
Venue: State Farm Center
How to Watch (TV): FS1
Washington Record: 11-9 (3-6 in Big Ten)
Illinois Record: 17-3 (8-1 in Big Ten)

Washington vs. Illinois Betting Trends

Washington is 5-1 ATS in its last six games
The UNDER is 5-0 in Washington's last five games
Washington is 5-2 ATS in its last seven games as an underdog
Illinois is 5-1 ATS in its last six games
The OVER is 4-1 in Illinois' last five games
Illinois is 12-1 straight up in its last 13 home games

Washington vs. Illinois Key Player to Watch

Keaton Wagler, G - Illinois Fighting Illini

Not only does Keaton Wagler lead Illinois in points per game, averaging 17.5, but he's also leading the team in assists per game with 4.0, along with 5.0 rebounds. The Fighting Illini's offense goes through Wagler, meaning he has to bring his best stuff if Illinois hopes to cover this big number against Washington tonight.

Washington vs. Illinois Prediction and Pick

In today's edition of Daily Dunk, I broke down why I'm laying the points on Illinois tonight:

Washington doesn't have the offense to hang with Illinois on the road tonight. The Huskies rank just 224th in the country in effective field goal percentage, well below Illinois, which comes in at 32nd. To make matters worse for Washington, the Huskies are primarily a three-point shooting team, but now they have to take on a Fighting Illini team that ranks 27th in three-point field goal percentage, allowing teams to shoot just 46.4% from beyond the arc.

Illinois has been dominant on its home court this season, sporting an average scoring margin of +24.1 when playing at home. I expect another lopsided victory in their favor tonight.

Pick: Illinois -12.5 (-110) via BetMGM

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