The #10 Fighting Illini (11-3) have survived without leading scorer Terrence Shannon, Jr. (21.7 ppg) – for now. Illinois has won 9 of their last 11, falling only to then #17 Tennessee and then #1 Purdue over that span, both on the road. Michigan State (9-6) will look to play spoiler on Thursday night in Champaign and the Spartans have a bit of momentum as well as winners of five of their last six.
Before Betting on Michigan State vs Illinois NCAAB
Shannon, Jr. has been suspended indefinitely due to sexual assault allegations, but the Fighting Illini have gone 2-1 in his absence. There have been some solid offensive performances over that span as well, including a 104-71 win over Fairleigh Dickinson and a 96-66 throttling of in-state rival Northwestern.
Illinois has now scored 96+ points in three of their last four games, not a huge surprise for the Big Ten’s #3 scoring offense. The loss of Shannon, Jr. is going to hurt the Fighting Illini once they get deeper into conference play, but Michigan State just lost 88-74 to a Northwestern team that Illinois just beat by 30.
Tyson Walker puts up 20.6 ppg for the Spartans, and he’ll be the best scorer on the court Thursday night at the State Farm Center. MSU can also play some defense, ranking 4th in the Big Ten in giving up 65.9 ppg.
Spartans vs Fighting Illini Offshore Betting Odds
| Offshore Sportsbook | Moneyline | Total | Point Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetOnline | MSU (OFF) | ILL (OFF) | 149.5 | MSU +3.5 (1.91) | ILL -3.5 (1.91) |
| MyBookie | MSU (OFF) | ILL (OFF) | 149.5 | MSU +3.5 (1.91) | ILL -3.5 (1.91) |
| BetUS | MSU (OFF) | ILL (OFF) | 149.5 | MSU +4 (1.90) | ILL -4 (1.90) |
| SportsBetting.ag | MSU (OFF) | ILL (OFF) | 149.5 | MSU +3.5 (1.91) | ILL -3.5 (1.91) |
| XBet | MSU (OFF) | ILL (OFF) | 149.5 | MSU +3.5 (1.91) | ILL -3.5 (1.91) |
Michigan State vs Illinois NCAAB Prediction & Pick
There are still a lot of questions surrounding the new look Fighting Illini even though they are #10 in the nation. That being said the Spartans did have an awful loss at Northwestern last time out, and head into a rough environment where Illinois is 8-1 at home this season.
