The Sunday’s college basketball game of the day takes place on CBS with a pivotal Big Ten showdown as Indiana travels to Illinois to take on the No. 8 Fighting Illini at the State Farm Center. The Illini are looking to get even after two straight OT losses this week snapped a 12-game winning streak, while Indiana – winners of five of the last six – looks to keep the momentum going with March madness around the corner.
Indiana won twice at home this week over Wisconsin and Oregon ahead of Sunday’s game – its first road test in nearly two weeks. The Hoosiers endured an ugly January that saw them finish 5-4, including a four-game losing streak, and have tentatively found themselves in the 68-team field as a projected ninth seed.
Illinois jumps into the weekend in a different direction from a momentum perspective, after losing last Saturday against Michigan State by three points and Tuesday at home against Wisconsin by two points. The Big Ten seemed to be the Illini’s for the taking a week ago, and Sunday suddenly seems like a must-win to still be in play for that.
Indiana vs. Illinois: Need to Know
Big Ten title dreams alive: Michigan’s reasserted itself as the top dog in the Big Ten with a two-game lead in the regular season race after back-to-back losses at Illinois this week. With six remaining regular-season games for the Illini and seven for Michigan — including a head-to-head showdown on Feb. 27 — Illinois will almost certainly have to avoid another mistake to have a chance to take home hardware.
Wagler magic: Whatever the opposite of the rookie wall is, it’s what Keaton Wagler is facing for Illinois now. He is coming off a 34-point, seven-assist performance against Wisconsin – his fourth game of 22 or more points in the last six games. Illinois trusts its star to play as a passer and shooterand while it has lost two close games, it has not been coincidentally a top-10 team as Wagler takes on an increasingly bigger role.
The Lamar Wilkerson Show: Speaking of undervalued and undervalued guards, Indiana has a dandy in Lamar Wilkerson who has been sensational in recent weeks. He scored 41 points against Oregon on Monday – his second 40-point performance of the season – and is currently second in the Big Ten in points per game this season. An IU win will only happen if Wilkerson remains as red-hot entering the State Farm Center as he has for much of the past few weeks.
Where to watch Indiana vs. Want to watch Illinois live?
Date: Sunday February 15 | Time: 1:00 PM ET
Location: State Farm Center – Champaign, Illinois
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App
Stream on Paramount+ Premium
Indiana vs. Illinois Prediction, Choice
Chance via FanDuel Sportsbook
Illinois at home as a double-digit favorite against an Indiana team that has struggled defensively at times could be an easy choice. But I’m not discounting the Hoosiers here. They have won twice as underdogs in six tries this season and are 2-2 ATS as away underdogs. Illinois should win, and I expect it will, but an IU cover or even an IU win could be in play if it continues to play the way it has. Choice: Indiana +10.5
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