Illinois vs Washington Prediction

Illinois vs Michigan State Prediction 1/19/2025 College Basketball Picks

Illinois vs Michigan State Prediction

Illinois vs Michigan State Game Information

What: Illinois vs Michigan State Prediction 1/19/2025 College Basketball Picks
When: Sunday, January 19, 2025 at 12:00 pm EST/9:00 am PST
Where Breslin Center, East Lansing, Michigan
Illinois vs Michigan State Line: Michigan State -2.5
Total: 153.5
TV: CBS

Illinois vs Michigan State Preview

No. 19 Illinois (13-4, 5-2 in Big Ten) heads to East Lansing to face No. 12 Michigan State (15-2, 6-0 in Big Ten) at the Breslin Center on Sunday morning in a clash of titans. In their last 5 games, the Fighting Illini are 4-1, winning at Oregon by 32 (109-77) and at Washington by 4 (81-77), topping Penn State by 39 (91-52), losing to USC by 10 (82-72), and beating Indiana by 25 (94-69) in their last game. In their last 5 games, the Spartans are a perfect 5-0, beating Western Michigan by 18 (80-62), Ohio State by 7 (69-62), Washington by 34 (88-54), Northwestern by 10 (78-68), and Penn State by 5 (90-85). Online sportsbook DraftKings currently has Michigan State at 40/1 to win the 2025 NCAA Basketball Tournament with Illinois priced at 25/1 odds.

Illinois Looking to Hand MSU its First Big Ten Loss 

Illinois (9-7-1 ATS, 10-7-0 O/U) has already played a number of quality Hoops programs in new Big Ten members Washington, USC and Oregon, Penn State, Indiana, Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas, Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Tennessee, so this date with Michigan State will be just another test and this is a team we will see in the Big Dance come March. Illinois (+130 Moneyline) is led in scoring by G Kasparas Jakucionis (16.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 5.4 APG), C Tomislav Ivisic (13.0 PPG, 8.8 RPG), G Kylan Boswell (11.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG), G Tre White (10.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG), F Will Riley (10.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG), F Ben Humrichous (9.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG), G Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn (7.5 PPG), and F Morez Johnson Jr. (5.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG). The Fighting Illini rank No. 6 in Points Per Game (87.3 PPG) while allowing 67.3 ppg (+20.0 ppg Scoring Differential) are No. 3 in Rebounds Per Game (45.5) thanks to Ivisic (7-1), Johnson (6-9), White (6-7), and Jakucionis (6–6) and rank No. 118 in APG (15.2).

Illinois Betting Trends

  • Illinois is 6-1-0 SU in its last 7 games overall
  • The Fighting Illini are 7-3 SU their last 10 games overall
  • Illinois ranks No. 6 in NCAAB in Scoring Margin (+20.0 ppg)
  • Illinois is has been Favorites in 13 of its last 15 games (Underdogs vs ALA, TENN)
  • The Over is 6-1-0 in the Fighting Illini’s last 7 games
  • The Fighting Illini have scored 100+ Points 4 times

Michigan State Facing a Stiff Test From Illinois

Michigan State (11-6-0 ATS, O/U 7-10-0) has been playing as good as anyone in the Big Ten to start the season, winning 10 straight and starting Big Ten Conference play off perfect heading into this game, the only team in the conference now without a Loss. The Spartans are led in scoring by G Jaden Adkins (14.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG), G Jase Richardson (9.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG), F Coen Carr (8.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG), F Frankie Fidler (8.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG), F Jaxon Kohler (7.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG), G Jeremy Fears Jr. (7.9 PPG, 6.4 APG), G Tre Holloman (7.5 PPG, 3.9 APG), F Xavier Booker (6.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG), and C Szymon Zapala (5.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG). The Spartans (-156 Moneyline) average 81.8 PPG (#42), allow 67.1 PPG, and average 40.8 Rebounds Per Game (#19) and 18.6 Assists Per Game (Tied-#9) under veteran HC Tom Izzo.

Michigan State Betting Trends

  • Michigan State is 10-0 SU in its last 10 games overall
  • The Spartans are 8-2-0 ATS their last 10 games overall, 3-1 ATS last 4
  • The Under is 4-2-0 in the last 6 Spartans games 
  • Michigan State went 19-15-1 in the 2024 NCAAB season (55.1%)
  • The Spartans have been ATS Favorites in 10 of their last 12 games (NC, OSU)
  • Michigan State is a perfect 9-0 at Home at the Breslin Center

Illinois vs Michigan State Prediction

In the last 10 series meetings, both Illinois and Michigan State are 5-5 SU with the Fighting Illini winning 4 of the last 5 but losing the last meeting, here in East Lansing by 8 (88-80) and failing to cover ATS as 3.5-Point Road Underdogs in a game that went Over the closing Total of 144 by 24 points. As a matter of fact, the last 3 meetings at the Breslin Center have been Overs (168, 153, 153). MSU is 5-4-1 ATS over that span. With the Spartans playing 2 straight Overs, the Fighting Illini playing 6 in their last 7, and three straight Overs in East Lansing in the series, this Illinois vs Michigan State NCAAB pick will look to the Totals market and anticipate another high-scoring game between two of the best teams in the nation. Note the early tipoff time. 

Kevin’s Prediction: Illinois-Michigan State Over 153.5