The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (4-8) aim to stop a four-game losing skid when visiting the Illinois Fighting Illini (8-4) at 8:30 PM ET on Thursday, December 29, 2022 at State Farm Center.
Illinois is a gigantic 30.5-point favorite against Bethune-Cookman when the Fighting Illini hit the court against the Wildcats on Thursday. The matchup has an over/under of 143.5.
Illinois vs. Bethune-Cookman Odds
Point Spread for Illinois vs. Bethune-Cookman
The spread for this matchup is set at 30.5 points, with bookmakers listing Illinois as the favorite.
Illinois vs. Bethune-Cookman Moneyline
As for the moneyline, Illinois has odds to pick up the win, while Bethune-Cookman is listed at to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the total for the game is set at 143.5 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- Game Day: Thursday, December 29, 2022
- Game Time: 8:30 PM ET
- Location: Champaign, Illinois
- Arena: State Farm Center
Illinois vs. Bethune-Cookman Betting Trends
In the Illinois’ 12 games this year, it has six wins against the spread. Illinois’ games this year have hit the over on six of 10 set point totals.
Bethune-Cookman is 4-6-0 against the spread this season. Bethune-Cookman has hit the over 80% of the time this season (eight of 10 games with a set point total).
Illinois vs. Bethune-Cookman Key Players to Watch
Illinois
Terrence Shannon Jr. leads the Fighting Illini at 18.2 points per game, while also posting 2.9 assists and 5.6 rebounds. Coleman Hawkins leads his team in both rebounds (6.1) and assists (3.8) per game, and also puts up 9.1 points. At the other end, he delivers 1.2 steals and 1.4 blocked shots. Matthew Mayer is averaging 9.8 points, 1.2 assists and 4.3 rebounds per contest. Dain Dainja puts up 9.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.3 assists per contest. At the other end, he posts 0.8 steals and 0.9 blocked shots.
Bethune-Cookman
Marcus Garrett leads the Wildcats in scoring (14.0 points per game), and averages 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He also delivers 1.2 steals and 0.0 blocked shots. Zion Harmon is the Wildcats’ top assist man (3.1 per game), and he delivers 13.0 points and 1.4 rebounds. Kevin Davis gives the Wildcats 9.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest. He also averages 0.8 steals and 0.3 blocked shots. Damani McEntire gets the Wildcats 4.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He also puts up 2.4 steals and 0.5 blocked shots.
What you need to know about the Illinois Fighting Illini
This year, the Fighting Illini are putting up 77.5 points per game (88th-ranked in college basketball) and giving up 64.7 points per contest (79th-ranked). Illinois is averaging 36.5 boards per game (39th-ranked in college basketball) this season, while allowing 29.0 rebounds per contest (78th-ranked).
Illinois is 40th in college basketball with 9.2 threes per game this season. Meanwhile, it ranks 211th with a 33.3% shooting percentage from downtown. With 6.4 threes conceded per game, the Fighting Illini rank 96th in the nation. They are ceding a 33.2% shooting percentage from beyond the arc, which ranks 195th in college basketball.
What you need to know about the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
The Wildcats are 294th in the nation in points scored (67.6 per game) and 22nd-worst in points conceded (76.8). Bethune-Cookman is 320th in the nation in rebounds per game (29.3) and 305th in rebounds allowed (33.7).
At home, the Wildcats score 81.3 points per game. Away, they average 58.7. Bethune-Cookman is the 24th-worst squad in the country in 3-pointers made (5.5 per game) and 131st in 3-point percentage (34.9%). In 2022-23 the Wildcats are worst in college basketball in 3-pointers allowed (10.0 per game) and 22nd-worst in defensive 3-point percentage (37.3%).
Illinois vs. Bethune-Cookman Prediction & Pick
Our pick to win this contest is Illinois, and we expect that Bethune-Cookman will cover the spread (Illinois -30.5). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going over the posted total of 143.5 points.
How to bet Illinois vs. Bethune-Cookman
You can bet on Illinois vs. Bethune-Cookman at every legal online sportsbook. For more college basketball odds, including moneylines, spreads, over/under totals, check out the latest NCAA lines as well as our guide to the best college basketball betting sites.
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