The Rutgers Scarlet Knights will look to play spoiler as they face the No. 2 seed Illinois Fighting Illini in the second round of the Big Ten Conference Tournament on Friday.
Illinois is the No. 3 ranked team in the country in the latest AP Top 25 poll and has its eyes set on the National Championship.
Here are our best free Rutgers vs. Illinois picks and predictions for college basketball betting action on Friday, March 12. This contest will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis with tipoff at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Rutgers vs Illinois odds
Sharp money and line movement report
By Patrick EversonDraftKings has Illinois at -8 shortly before tipoff in this Big Ten quarterfinal game, and bettors are all over the favorite. The Fighting Illini are taking 87 percent of bets and 89 percent of cash on the spread. The total is at 138, with the Over getting hammered in much the same fashion as Illinois, attracting 88 percent of tickets and cash.
Check out the full line movement for this gameRutgers Scarlet Knights vs Illinois Fighting Illini betting preview
Injuries
Rutgers: None.
Illinois: None.
Find our latest NCAA basketball injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Fighting Illini are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games against a team with a winning straight up record. Find more NCAA betting trends for Rutgers vs. Illinois.
Against the spread (ATS) pick
Rutgers is coming off an impressive defensive performance on Thursday where it defeated the Indiana Hoosiers by a score of 61-50. Unfortunately for the Scarlet Knights, it won't be anywhere near as easy to shut down the Illini attack.
Illinois is an offensive juggernaut led by guard Ayo Dosunmu (20.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game) and center Kofi Cockburn (17.3 ppg and 9.6 rpg). The Fighting Illini average 80.7 points per game while shooting a sizzling 50 percent from the floor – the best mark of any Power Six program.
However, Illinois isn't a one-dimensional team. The Illini are also third in the country in rebounding rate while ranking seventh in adjusted defensive efficiency according to KenPom.
That's bad news for a Rutgers squad that is 187th in rebounding rate and ranks just outside the Top 200 in scoring with 70.4 ppg.
The Illini are red-hot, going 11-1 SU and 9-3 ATS over their last 12 games. Meanwhile, the Scarlet Knights wrapped up their regular season with a 10-10 record against conference foes with seven of those losses coming by at least eight points. That makes it an easy choice to back Illinois at -7.5 in this one.
PREDICTION: Illinois -7.5 (-110)
Over/Under Pick
With their low-scoring offense, stingy defense, and slow style of play, the Scarlet Knights have been a strong Under bet, going below the total in six of their last eight games.
That said, the Illinois attack is simply too high-powered for us to bet the Under, with the total opening at just 137.5. The Illini have gone below that low number just once in their last 13 games.
They've also had impressive offensive performances against strong defensive teams like Michigan and Wisconsin. When you also consider that these teams combined for a whopping 179 points (with Illinois shooting 54 percent from the field) in their previous meeting this season, we're leaning towards the O137.5.
PREDICTION: Over 137.5 (-110)
Rutgers vs Illinois betting card
- Illinois -7.5 (-110)
- Over 137.5 (-110)
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