Illinois (20-11) vs Iowa (17-15)
Game Info: Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 6:30 pm (Gainbridge Fieldhouse)
Betting Odds: Illinois -10.5 / Iowa +10.5 —- Over/Under: 166.5
The Iowa Vs Illinois Game Preview!
Alright, so, Iowa vs. Illinois. Big Ten tourney, baby! We're diving deep into this one. It's happening Thursday, March 13th, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indy, and we're here to figure out who's walking away with the W. Basically, we're gonna break down this matchup and give you our best shot at predicting the outcome. Let's get into it!
The Iowa Team Preview!
Okay, so Iowa's been a bit of a rollercoaster, right? They're sitting at 17-15, which, let's be real, isn't exactly setting the world on fire. But hey, they just snagged a win against Ohio State, 77-70. It was a close one at halftime, tied up, but they locked down defensively in the second half, which is always good to see. Plus, they were straight-up on fire shooting-wise – over 50% from the field, which is pretty solid. Payton Sandfort and Josh Dix were the big guys, putting up some serious points.
Before that, they beat Nebraska pretty handily, but then got burned by Michigan State. So, it's been a bit of a "win some, lose some" situation lately. They finished way down in the Big Ten standings, which isn't ideal. As for their stats, they can score, averaging over 82 points a game, but they also let a lot of points slip through the cracks, giving up almost 80. Sandfort and Dix are their main guys, putting up good numbers. They're also pretty good shooters overall, especially from three. Basically, they're a team that can score, but their defense can be a bit shaky.
The Illinois Team Preview!
Alright, so Illinois is coming in hot! They're sitting at a solid 20-11, with a 12-8 record in the Big Ten. And get this, they just took down Purdue! Like, Purdue. They were down at halftime, but they exploded in the second half, putting up almost 50 points. They were shooting lights out, too, especially from the free-throw line. Will Riley and Tre White were the guys leading the charge, putting up some serious numbers.
And get this, they're on a three-game win streak! They crushed Michigan and Iowa before that Purdue win. So, they're definitely playing their best ball right now. They finished pretty high up in the Big Ten standings, too. Statistically, they're a scoring machine, averaging almost 84 points a game, and their defense isn't too shabby either. They're also rebounding like crazy. Kasparas Jakucionis and Tomislav Ivisic are their main guys, putting up solid points and grabbing a ton of boards. Their shooting is decent, though their three-point percentage could be better. Basically, Illinois is playing really well right now, scoring a ton, and playing some solid defense. They're definitely a team to watch.
The Iowa Vs Illinois
Game Prediction!
THE PICK: Illinois -9.5 -116
Alright, so Iowa pulled off a surprise win against Ohio State, which is cool, but let's be real, their season's been a bit of a letdown. Their offense can definitely put up points, shooting almost 50%, but their defense? Yikes. They've been struggling.
Then you've got Illinois, who's on a roll. They've won three straight, including a huge victory over Purdue, and they're scoring a ton. But, they've also had their own defensive lapses. Here's the kicker: Illinois just straight-up dominated Iowa a few games back, winning by 20. And honestly, looking at Iowa's shaky defense, I think Illinois can do it again. They've got the momentum, the scoring power, and they've already proven they can handle Iowa. So, yeah, I'm going with Illinois on this one. They're just playing better basketball right now.
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