- The Badgers were beaten 88-74 by Marquette last Saturday.
- Illinois was upset by rival Northwestern 70-66 in their last game.
- Illinois and Wisconsin played twice last season, with Illinois winning each.
Our Wisconsin vs Illinois prediction and preview article features two squads trying to bounce back from tough losses. Wisconsin started the season 8-0 but have now lost two straight and are trying to find a way to get back on track. Illinois was riding high after beating Arkansas two games ago but was upset by their in-state rival in their last game, losing in overtime to Northwestern.
Badgers Guard Trio Wants to Outscore Illini
This is not Bo Ryan’s Wisconsin anymore. Even though Ryan handed it to his assistant, Gred Gard, the Badgers are changing their stripes. They are not playing at a slow-down pace anymore but have been trying to outscore opponents. Wisconsin has three guards, all scoring in double figures. John Tonje, who is in the top 20 in the nation, scoring 21.5 points per game leads the way.
Tonje, a transfer playing his sixth season of college basketball has lots of experience. He is making the most of his one year at Wisconsin. Tonje has been efficient, shooting 49.1% from the field and 41.7% from three. He also has good support from John Blackwell (15.2 PPG) and Max Klesmit (12.2 PPG), who provide plenty of scoring in the backcourt. Wisconsin could get some better play, though, in the post. Steven Crowl averaged 12.1 and 11.2 points a game the last two seasons and is only scoring 7.2 PPG this season.
Illinois Trying to Get Hot From Deep
The Illini are more balanced, with a center and forward as their top two scorers. They have a guard close, though, as the third leading scorer. Tomislav Ivisic (16.1 PPG, 55.2% FG, & 38.5% 3P) and Will Riley (15 PPG, 45.2% FG, & 42.9% 3P) are not your typical post players either. The post duo can score inside and from outside.
Perhaps the most crucial player for the Illini, though, is their third-leading scorer, Kasparas Jakucionis. He is scoring 14.4 PPG but leads the team and is top-15 in the country with 6.1 assists per game. Jakucionis is the straw that stirs the drink for the Illini. He can do a little bit of everything and, at 6-foot-6, has excellent size for a guard. The freshman is getting better every game, and if the Illini are contenders this season, it will be because of the growth of Jakucionis.
Wisconsin vs Illinois Prediction: Illini Win a Shootout
The difference in this game is that Illinois can get easy buckets in the paint when there are cold shooting stretches for either team. Both squads can light it up from three and will have some runs in this game. Wisconsin has struggled in the last two games to get some easy points when needed. Add in that Illinois has a size advantage, and they will also beat the Badgers on the boards, leading to an Illini win.
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