Indiana Hoosiers vs Illinois Fighting Illini Prediction, 12/26/2020 College Basketball Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Indiana Hoosiers vs Illinois Fighting Illini

Date: Saturday, December 26, 2020

Location: State Farm Center in Champaign, IL

TV: ESPN+

Odds/Point Spread: Indiana (+6.5)

State Farm Center is the site where and the Illinois Fighting Illini (6-3) will take on the Indiana Hoosiers (5-3) on Saturday. Illinois opens this game as 6.5-point favorites. The over/under has been set at 146.

Indiana will enter this contest with a mark of 5-3 so far this year. They average 72.5 points per contest (181st in the country) while shooting 46.3% from the floor. The Hoosiers are hitting 34.3% on shots beyond the perimeter (48 of 140) and 65.6% from the free throw line. As a unit, Indiana is pulling down 36.1 boards per contest and has accounted for 121 assists so far this year, which ranks 67th in Division 1 in terms of passing the rock. They are turning it over 13.5 times per game and as a basketball team are committing 17.1 personal fouls on a nightly basis. When they are on the defensive end, the Hoosiers are forcing their opponents into 14.6 turnovers per game and they draw 20.8 personal fouls. They relinquish 28.6% from 3-point land and they are 55th in college hoops in points per game allowed (62.6). The Hoosiers are allowing a field goal percentage of 39.3% (179 of 456) and they relinquish 34.8 rebounds per game as a group. They rank 151st in college basketball in allowing assists to the opposition with 80 conceded for the campaign.

The Indiana Hoosiers stepped onto the hardwood against the Northwestern Wildcats and went home with a loss by a final score of 74-67 in their last contest. Indiana wrapped up the game with a 48.1% FG percentage (25 of 52) and converted 7 of their 18 three-point shots. When they shot from the charity stripe, the Hoosiers made 10 of 16 tries for a rate of 62.5%. With regard to pulling down boards, they compiled 26 with 8 of them being offensive. They also doled out 11 assists in this game in addition to earning 7 steals and 2 blocks. Pertaining to the defense, Indiana allowed 48.1% from the field on 25 out of 52 shooting. Northwestern earned 13 assists and had 10 steals in this contest. On top of that, the Wildcats had 24 rebounds (4 offensive, 20 defensive) and had 2 blocked shots. Northwestern finished shooting 84.6% at the charity stripe by knocking down 11 of their 13 attempts. They converted 7 out of their 19 tries from 3-point land.

Armaan Franklin is a player who was a factor for the game. He was able to score 16 points on 7 out of 17 shooting. He was on the court for 37 mins and also grabbed 5 boards. Franklin ended up going 41.2% from the floor and also dished out 2 assists. Someone else that was a major factor in this contest for the Hoosiers was Trayce Jackson-Davis. He snagged 9 rebounds and also tallied 2 assists. He finished 75.0% from the field for this contest by connecting on 9-of-12 (22 points). At the conclusion of this game, Jackson-Davis was on the court for 36 min.

Illinois has a record of 6-3 for the year. When it comes to executing on offense, the Fighting Illini are shooting 53.9% from the floor, which is 29th in D-1. Illinois has accounted for 804 pts for the season (89.3 per contest) and they average 42.6 boards per contest. They are assisting teammates 17.9 times per contest (35th in the country) and they are losing possession via turnover 14.3 times per contest. The Fighting Illini have committed 19.9 personal fouls every game and they go 70.2% from the free throw line. The Fighting Illini are ranked 202nd in college basketball in points per game surrendered with 71.2. They are forcing their opponents into 11.3 TO's per game and have let teams shoot 41.2% from the field (135th in D-1). The Illinois defense surrenders 29.4% on three-point shots (57 of 194) and their opponents are making 63.4% of their shots from the charity stripe. They have conceded 11.8 dimes and 28.2 boards on a nightly basis, which has them ranked 115th and 11th in those defensive categories.

The last time they took the hardwood, the Illinois Fighting Illini got the victory with a final of 98-81 against the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Fighting Illini were able to snag 21 defensive boards and 12 offensive boards totaling 33 for this contest. They also rejected 2 shots while earning 5 steals in this game. The Nittany Lions were called for 23 fouls for the contest which got the Fighting Illini to the charity stripe for a total of 28 shots. They were able to make 23 of the free throws for a percentage of 82.1%. Concerning shots from beyond the perimeter, Illinois converted 5 out of 16 tries (31.3%). When the game finished, the Fighting Illini finished shooting 35 out of 63 from the field which had them sitting at 55.6%. The Fighting Illini permitted the Nittany Lions to convert 35 out of 65 attempts from the floor which left them with a shooting percentage of 53.8% in this matchup. They shot 30.4% from three-point range by shooting 7 of 23 and ended up going 4 of 7 at the charity stripe (57.1%). In reference to attacking the glass, Illinois allowed Penn State to get 25 overall (8 on the offensive side).

Kofi Cockburn was important for the Fighting Illini in the game. He made 11 out of 13 in the matchup for a field goal percentage of 84.6%, which had him finishing with 23 points. Cockburn grabbed 6 boards in his 28 minutes played and accounted for 2 assists in this matchup. An additional guy who was a determining factor for Illinois was Ayo Dosunmu. He left the arena with 30 points in 37 minutes on the court via 9 out of 18 from the floor for the matchup. Dosunmu walked away from this one going 50.0% from the floor and also totaling 5 assists and 6 boards.

Who will win tonight's college basketball game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Indiana (+6.5)

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