Chicago State vs Illinois prediction, odds, pick for College Basketball
12/29/2024 01:29 AM
It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Chicago State-Illinois prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Chicago State-Illinois.
The Illinois Fighting Illini have taken on elite opponents in this college basketball season. They have played Alabama and Tennessee. They have played Missouri in the annual “bragging rights” game. They have played Arkansas as well. Illinois has challenged itself and has made its schedule rigorous enough to prepare the team for the next two months of Big Ten basketball. Before that Big Ten gauntlet arrives, however, Illinois has a tune-up game versus Chicago State.
Illinois has skilled players, and the Illini could be dangerous if they come together and play cohesively. One of the big concerns for this group, as shown in their narrow home-court loss to Tennessee a few weeks ago, is how they respond to rugged, physical defense. Illinois was not able to drive to the basket consistently and finish through contact against Tennessee. The Volunteers guarded the wings ferociously and did not allow many clean 3-point looks. When Tennessee took away the three, Illinois could not make enough dribble drive finishes to the basket and earn enough free throws to make Tennessee pay for its extended on-ball pressure. Illinois either has to make the extra pass in its halfcourt offensive sets or find other ways to free up its shooters against a tenacious opposing defense. Illinois won’t see many better defenses than Tennessee’s in the coming weeks, so the hope for coach Brad Underwood is that the lessons learned against the Vols will be applied over the next several weeks. Illinois will become an extremely difficult team to beat if its halfcourt offense doesn’t stumble and can attain more fluidity. This game against Chicago State will try to help Illinois build a rhythm after a week away from the hardwood for Christmas break.
Here are the Chicago State-Illinois College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Chicago State-Illinois Odds
Chicago State: +39.5 (-114)
Moneyline: NA
Illinois: -39.5 (-106)
Moneyline: NA
Over: 150.5 (-108)
Under: 150.5 (-116)
How to Watch Chicago State vs Illinois
Time: 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT
TV: Big Ten Network
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Chicago State Will Cover The Spread/Win
The spread here is absolutely enormous. Is Illinois 40 points better than Chicago State in terms of pure quality? Probably. However, Illinois is known for being erratic under coach Brad Underwood. The Illini can be a total wrecking ball when everything is going right, but will everything go just right for the Illini in this game? It’s right after Christmas and just before New Year’s Day. Will Illinois be intense and focused for all 40 minutes in this game? Just six or seven wayward minutes — in which Chicago State can play on even terms — means Illinois will have to outscore CSU by 40 points in 34 minutes. If we imagine a scenario in which this game is tied six minutes in, it becomes that much harder to imagine Illinois covering the 39.5 number.
Why Illinois Will Cover The Spread/Win
If the Illini take this game seriously, they are 40 points better than Chicago State. Given that Illinois has had several days off and should be physically fresh, the Illini have a good chance of being able to take a very quick 10-point lead. If Illinois leads something like 15-5 after five minutes of play, it would be able to build a halftime lead of around 25 points, meaning it would just have to win the second half by 15 points to cover. That’s reasonable.
Final Chicago State-Illinois Prediction & Pick
Our lean is to Chicago State, but we recommend you stay away from this game.
Final Chicago State-Illinois Prediction & Pick: Chicago State +39.5
The post Chicago State vs Illinois prediction, odds, pick for College Basketball appeared first on ClutchPoints.
