When you think of March Madness betting, you don’t think much of Illinois, who hasn’t had much success in the Big Dance since winning it all in 2005. But the Fighting Illini has been showing signs of life this year, and are coming off a big win as they head to Wisconsin, another surprising team that just completed a Michigan sweep.
Illinois vs Wisconsin odds – Tuesday, February 9, 7:00 PM ET
The Illini (16-8, 8-3) took advantage of a short-handed Michigan State team to beat the Spartans 78-73 on Saturday, as the Spartans were missing star guard Kalin Lucas, who was out with a sprained ankle. Demetri McCamey took advantage of Lucas’ absence to lead the Illini with 22 points and 11 assists, while Mike Davis came off the bench with 16 points. The Illini shot 52.5% from the field, and they countered a 34-21 deficit on the glass with 18 forced turnovers out of the Spartans, compared to only nine of their own.
After beating Michigan State last Tuesday, the No.11 Badgers (18-5, 8-3) went wild in a 62-44 win at Michigan, hitting 11 of their 21 attempts from three-point land. Jason Bohannon led a balanced attack with 18 points, and Trevon Hughes had 14 points for the Badgers, who held a 28-16 edge on the boards. Wisconsin was deadly efficient against the Wolverines, jumping out a 14-point halftime lead, and they never took their foot off the gas. When it comes to sports betting darkhorses in the NCAA Tournament, Wisconsin may be a good time to look at.
The odds in your offshore sportsbook (sportsbook reviews) should favor Wisconsin at home, where they are 13-0 this season. The Illini has lost seven of their last nine trips to Madison, and while they have a 4-3 record away from home, their last two road wins came at Penn State and Iowa, who are the worst two teams in the Big Ten, and they’ve already lost at Michigan State, their biggest test away from Assembly Hall. The Illini has a size advantage in the post with Mike Tisdale and Davis, so they would do well to go into their big men to slow the game down. McCamey had a field day against Michigan State without Lucas in the lineup, but how will he react with a full-strength Wisconsin team with Hughes and Bohannon in the backcourt? With both teams at 8-3 in the Big Ten, this is a huge, huge matchup. Go with Wisconsin due to the homecourt advantage.
Internet sports betting pick: Wisconsin
