College Basketball Picks: Michigan Wolverines vs. Illinois Fighting Illini

The Michigan Wolverines have covered the point spread in their last six games against the Illinois Fighting Illini, which is important to consider when making your college basketball picks Tuesday, as the two teams prepare to meet at the State Farm Center.

Sports bettors will find that the Wolverines are 2.5-point road favorites in the NCAA basketball odds, with the betting total sitting at 124 in the market.

Let's take a closer look at this Big Ten Conference matchup from a betting perspective, while offering up a prediction along the way.

Gambling stats via SBR Forum 

Michigan Wolverines

Tony Ding/Associated Press

The Michigan Wolverines have won three games in a row, including a 66-56 victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers as nine-point home favorites last Saturday.

Over the last two-plus seasons, the Wolverines are 1-4 straight up and against the spread as road favorites of three or fewer points.

Illinois Fighting Illini

BRADLEY LEEB/Associated Press

The Illinois Fighting Illini are 3-0 straight up and against the spread over their last three contests, as they come off a 53-46 victory over the Michigan State Spartans as 12.5-point road underdogs last Saturday.

College basketball handicappers will find that the Fighting Illini have dropped 14 of 21 games when allowing opponents to shoot 45 percent or better, as per Illinois' official athletics site, during the John Groce era.

Prediction

I'm going to recommend that readers back the Michigan Wolverines as one of their college basketball picks, as the Illinois Fighting Illini are 1-5 against the spread in their last six home games.

Pick: Michigan Wolverines -2.5

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