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  3. Ohio St. Buckeyes vs Illinois Fighting Illini
Sun 1:00 PM ET
Ohio St. Buckeyes logo
Ohio St.
Buckeyes79
21-12
versus
Illinois Fighting Illini logo
Illinois
Fighting Illini87
28-9
Final
Team12T
Ohio St. Buckeyes423779
Illinois Fighting Illini365187
NCAAB · Ohio St. Buckeyes at Illinois Fighting Illini

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Ohio St. Buckeyes vs Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Picks & Predictions

Game time: February 2, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET

Venue: State Farm Center — Champaign, IL

Article updated Feb 2, 1:58 AM EST

Published by SportsJaw Editorial Team

In an upcoming Big 10 showdown, the Ohio State Buckeyes (13-8) will face off against the Illinois Fighting Illini (14-7). The Buckeyes are coming off a strong road win

Game outlook

In an upcoming Big 10 showdown, the Ohio State Buckeyes (13-8) will face off against the Illinois Fighting Illini (14-7). The Buckeyes are coming off a strong road win against Penn State, while the Fighting Illini suffered a loss to Nebraska. With Illinois having won both matchups against Ohio State last season, they enter as the betting favorite, opening at -7 and currently at -6.5. Can Illinois rebound from their recent loss and secure a home win? Read on for our prediction and explore our NCAAB Picks for more insights to help you make winning bets.

Betting Odds

Moneyline: Buckeyes +208 | Fighting Illini -260

Spread: Buckeyes +6.5 (-110) | Fighting Illini -6.5 (-110)

Total: Over/Under 156 (-110)

Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Illinois will win straight-up is 72%.

Ohio St. Buckeyes

The Ohio State Buckeyes are aiming for their fifth conference win of the season after a successful run of three consecutive victories. Despite some narrow losses earlier in conference play, they have shown resilience and are currently 5-5 in conference play. Key players such as Bruce Thornton and Micah Parrish have been performing well on offense, while the team's defense has also played a crucial role in their recent wins. The Buckeyes are ranked 24th in DI and could potentially enter the AP Top 25 with another win. Their offensive and defensive statistics show a solid performance overall, with strong shooting percentages and rebounding numbers. Overall, the Buckeyes have demonstrated their potential for success in conference play and continue to improve as the season progresses.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Picks are opinions, not guarantees. Past results do not predict future outcomes.

Illinois Fighting Illini Analysis

The Illinois Fighting Illini are currently ranked fourth in the conference standings with a 28-9 record. Despite some recent defensive issues and losses against Michigan State and Maryland, the team rebounded with a win against Northwestern before suffering an overtime defeat against Nebraska. Freshman guard Kasparov Jakucionis and sophomore center Tomislav Ivisic have been standouts for the Illini, with Jakucionis averaging 16 PPG and 5.8 RPG, and Ivisic averaging 13 PPG and 8.5 RPG. The team has a strong scoring depth with players like Tre White and Will Riley contributing to their offensive capabilities. The Fighting Illini are ranked 18th in the country in Ken Pomeroy's ratings and are currently averaging 85.2 points per game. On defense, they have struggled recently, but are keeping opponents to an average of 70 points, ranking 128th in the nation. Overall, the Fighting Illini have a power ranking of 80 and are ranked #6 for offense.

Illinois Dominates Big 10 Play, Outperforming Inconsistent Ohio State Buckeyes

The Ohio State Buckeyes have experienced inconsistencies in their performance during Big 10 play, having achieved a 4-4 record in their past eight conference games, with a 2-2 record on the road. In comparison, Illinois has demonstrated a strong home record of 9-3 and has shown prowess in both offense and defense. Illinois outperforms Ohio State by averaging 0.8 more points per 100 possessions and excels defensively, limiting opponents to 93.6 points per 100 possessions compared to Ohio State's 95.8 points per 100 possessions. Additionally, Illinois boasts a significant rebounding advantage with a +12 margin. Notably, Illinois has convincingly defeated opponents such as Arkansas, Oregon, Penn State, and Indiana by margins of 25 points or more, showcasing their dominance when performing at their best.

SportsJawGame Predictions
Predicted score

Unavailable for this preview

Projected winnerUnavailableConfidencelow
Pick on the Spread

Published pick: Unavailable

Pick on the Total

Published pick: Unavailable

#OhioStBuckeyes#IllinoisFightingIllini

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Written by

SportsJaw Editorial Team

SportsJaw published this archived preview from its original game-day article. Its prediction and quoted lines are preserved as written.

About our editorial process

SportsJaw Buckeyes vs Fighting Illini archived game preview contains historical odds and availability that may no longer be current. View history of past Buckeyes vs Fighting Illini matchups or learn how our predictions work.

Current matchup data

Lines, trends and availability

Line movement since open

  • Moneyline · Ohio St. Buckeyes+223 → +248Moved
  • Moneyline · Illinois Fighting Illini-275 → -303Moved
  • Spread · Ohio St. Buckeyes+7 (-110) → +6.5 (-110)Moved
  • Spread · Illinois Fighting Illini-7 (-110) → -6.5 (-110)Moved
  • Total · Over154 (-110) → 156.5 (-110)Moved
  • Total · Under154 (-110) → 156.5 (-110)Moved

ATS and O/U trends

Ohio St. Buckeyes
21-12 matchup record · 6-4-0 ATS · 4-6-0 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file
Illinois Fighting Illini
28-9 matchup record · 4-6-0 ATS · 6-3-1 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file

Injuries and availability

From the published research (2025-02-02T06:58:13.135Z). Availability may have changed; review the cited sources.

No verified injury or availability note was included in the published matchup research.

Recent head-to-head

  • 2024-03-15Ohio St. Buckeyes 74 · Illinois Fighting Illini 77
Final result

Matchup pick recap

Illinois Fighting Illini defeated Ohio St. Buckeyes 87-79

Illinois Fighting Illini defeated Ohio St. Buckeyes 87-79 on February 2, 2025, a 8-point decision in the series. Illinois Fighting Illini's strongest period was the 2nd half, when it outscored its opponent 51-37. Against SportsJaw's recorded Ohio St. Buckeyes +6.5 (-110) spread, Illinois Fighting Illini covered, while the 166 combined points finished over the recorded total of 156.5.

SportsJaw editorial picks

  • Projected winnerNo published selectionUnavailable

Tipster picks

  • DpxsportsSpread · Illinois Fighting Illini -6.5 (-110)Win
  • BookieslayerSpread · Illinois Fighting Illini -6.5 (-110)Win
  • DengWinsSpread · Illinois Fighting Illini -6.5 (-110)Win
  • MtgoldsteinSpread · Illinois Fighting Illini -6.5 (-110)Win
  • OddssharkTotal · Over 156 (-110)Win
  • PurplebloodSpread · Illinois Fighting Illini -6.5 (-110)Win
  • MikeVargasSpread · Ohio St. Buckeyes +6.5 (-110)Loss
  • ThehitmanSpread · Ohio St. Buckeyes +6.5 (-110)Loss