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No. 23 Illinois vs. Rutgers Prediction: Odds, Expert Picks, Betting Trends and Stats

Tonight, the Fighting Illini of Illinois (7-5, 15-7) are in Piscataway, NJ to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-7, 11-11).

Illinois is back in the Top 25 following their 87-79 win in Columbus over the Ohio State Buckeyes this past Sunday. It was a big win considering they had lost in overtime a few days earlier to Nebraska, 80-74. The Scarlet Knights have lost three of their last four. Last Thursday they fell to Michigan 66-63 at home.

The Scarlet Knights’s record in their last ten games is 4-6 while the Fighting Illini’s record is 6-4 in their last ten.

Lets dive into the matchup and offer some information and possibly a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the opening tip, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Game details & how to watch Fighting Illini at Scarlet Knights

  • Date: Wednesday, February 5, 2025
  • Time: 8:30PM EST
  • Site: Jersey Mike’s Arena
  • City: Piscataway, NJ
  • Network/Streaming: BTN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest scores and player news. Check out our day-by-day NCAA Basketball Schedule Page that includes live game updates.

Game odds for Fighting Illini at Scarlet Knights

*odds courtesy of BetMGM

  • Odds: Illinois Fighting Illini (-350), Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+275)
  • Spread: Fighting Illini -7.5
  • Total: 156.5 points

Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Expert picks & predictions for Illinois at Rutgers

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NCAA calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, injuries, and the schedule.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Fighting Illini vs Scarlet Knights Best Bets

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Fighting Illini & Scarlet Knights game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Fighting Illini at -7.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 156.5.

Fighting Illini vs Scarlet Knights: Top betting trends and recent stats

  • Illinois has won 5 of its last 6 games against Rutgers
  • The Over is 12-9-1 in Illinois’ games this season
  • Rutgers is 4-1 against the spread in its last 5 games

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NCAA Basketball Top Trends Tool on NBCSports.com!

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
· Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
· Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
· Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
· Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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