The Illinois Fighting Illini (22-8, 13-6 BIG) travel to the Iowa Hawkeyes (18-12, 10-9) for a Sunday game. These are two teams that have come on strong toward the end of the season. Although Iowa is weaker in conference play, a win today would ensure that they stay over .500 in the Big 10. Moreover, it would be a great statement for a team that had earlier struggles. But beating Illinois would be something. Conversely, Illinois is preparing itself for a potential Big Ten championship as well as a deep March Madness run.
However, they will look to avoid a possible upset on the road today. All of these two sides faced each other about three weeks ago. The 10-point victory for Illinois then means very little now. Especially as the Hawkeyes are in great form at the moment.
Do you see Iowa hanging on at home and defeating Illinois?
Illinois Fighting Illini vs Iowa Hawkeyes Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | MoneyLine |
| Illinois |
-2
-108 |
O 171
-112 |
-125 |
| Iowa |
+2
-112 |
U 171
-108 |
+105 |
| **Odds Courtesy of DraftKings** | |||
Illinois Fighting Illini vs Iowa Hawkeyes Game Details
- Fixture: Illinois Fighting Illini @ Iowa Hawkeyes
- Date and Time: March 10, 2024 @ 7:00 pm EST
- Location: Carver-Hawkeye Center in Iowa City, IA
Apex Tale of the Tape
| Illinois | vs. | Iowa |
| 22-8 | Record | 18-12 |
| 84.3 | Points Per Game | 83.8 |
| 47.2 | FG% | 48.1 |
| 35.1 | 3PT% | 34.6 |
| 41.1 | Rebounds Per Game | 35.5 |
| 73.3 | Points Allowed Per Game | 78.8 |
| 43.1 | Defensive FG% | 45.6 |
| 34.7 | Defensive 3PT% | 35.6 |
| 71.2 | Defensive FT% | 71.3 |
| 32.6 | Defensive Rebounds Per Game | 36.3 |
| 3-2 | Last 5 W-L | 4-1 |
| 70.1 | Team Pace | 76.1 |
Key Stats
Illinois Fighting Illini
Iowa Hawkeyes
This is a team that has a great offense. Unfortunately, on the defensive side, you can’t say the same. They look to outscore you; there is no doubt about that. Furthermore, their 83.8 points per game is pretty close to the Illinois average for the season. But an underrated aspect of this team is how they are averaging 7.1 steals per game. Therefore, even if they have a series of sloppy possessions, this is still a team that can get out and transition and is a high-flying side.
This Iowa team average is so high in large part due to Payton Sandfort, the forward, who averages 16.0 points per game as well as 6.5 rebounds per game. Additionally, Owen Freeman is coming off a weak performance against the Northwestern Wildcats. Although he is capable of scoring in his own right, he only managed nine points in the game. Furthermore, Ben Krikke is someone who the Iowa Hawkeyes will hope can get going, as he was only able to produce 12 points for his side.
Game Prediction
This game will be a nice competitive battle in Iowa City. Although the visitors are favored, it isn’t by much. But regardless, I see the Iowa Hawkeyes coming out victorious today. However, a statement comes with the caveat that Illinois is by far the better team, and they are in the best position to go on a deep Big Ten and National Tournament run.
But for today, I see tonight as a letdown game. Especially with the good form Iowa has been playing with, this will serve as a wake-up call for the Illinois Fighting Illini to eventually go on postseason runs. But for today, the home team will be able to defend their home court and send Illinois back with one more in the loss column. Even though Illinois is better, Iowa is still more than capable of keeping pace with them offensively. Therefore, expect a nice, high-scoring game, but the point total is too high to consider and should be avoided. Therefore, I am only going with the Iowa Hawkeyes MoneyLine.
Final Pick
Iowa Hawkeyes MoneyLine
About the Author
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