The game of the day Sunday in college basketball takes place on CBS with a pivotal showdown in the Big Ten as Indiana travels to Illinois to face the No. 8 Fighting Illini inside the State Farm Center. The Illini are looking to get right after two consecutive OT losses this week sent it into a skid on the heels of a 12-game winning streak, while Indiana — winners of five of its last six — looks to keep its momentum rolling with March Madness around the corner.
Indiana won twice at home this week over Wisconsin and Oregon leading into Sunday’s game — its first road test in nearly two weeks. The Hoosiers withstood an ugly January in which they finished 5-4, including a four-game losing streak, and have for now played their way into the 68-team field as a projected 9 seed.
Illinois is hopping into the weekend in a different direction from a momentum perspective after having lost at Michigan State by three last Saturday and at home to Wisconsin by two on Tuesday. The Big Ten seemed it was the Illini’s for the taking as recently as a week ago, and Sunday suddenly seems like a must-win for that to still be in play.
Indiana vs. Illinois: Need to know
Big Ten title dreams alive: Michigan’s once again asserted itself as the top dog in the Big Ten with a two-game lead in the regular-season race after two consecutive Illinois losses this week. With six remaining regular-season games for the Illini and seven for Michigan — including a head-to-head on Feb. 27 — Illinois almost certainly needs to avoid another slip-up to have a shot at taking home hardware.
Wagler magic: Whatever the opposite of the rookie wall is what Keaton Wagler is hitting right now for Illinois. He is coming off a 34-point, seven-assist outing vs. Wisconsin — his fourth game of 22 or more points in the last six outings. Illinois is trusting its star to make plays as a passer and shooter, and while it has lost two close games, it has not coincidentally been a top-10 team while Wagler takes on a bigger and bigger role.
The Lamar Wilkerson show: Speaking of underrated and underappreciated guards: Indiana has a dandy in Lamar Wilkerson who has been sensational the last couple of weeks. He scored 41 points vs. Oregon on Monday — his second 40-point outing of the season — and currently sits second in the Big Ten in points per game this season. An IU win only happens if Wilkerson remains as red-hot going into the State Farm Center as he’s been much of the last few weeks.
Where to watch Indiana vs. Illinois live
Date: Sunday, Feb. 15 | Time: 1 p.m. ETLocation: State Farm Center — Champaign, IllinoisTV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports AppStreaming on Paramount+ Premium
Indiana vs. Illinois prediction, pick
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Illinois at home as double-digit favorites vs. an Indiana team that has struggled at times defensively may be a simple pick. But I’m not discounting the Hoosiers here. They have won twice as underdogs this season in six tries and are 2-2 ATS as away underdogs. Illinois should win, and I expect it to win, but an IU cover or even an IU win could be in play if it continues playing like it has. Pick: Indiana +10.5
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