The dog-eat-dog type of season of Big Ten basketball will reach its conclusion this Sunday, as the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Illinois Fighting Illini clash in what should be a thrilling matchup between two national powerhouses. Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Ohio State Buckeyes vs Illinois Fighting Illini NCAA College Basketball Game on March 14 2021
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
When: Sunday, March 14, 2021, 3:30 PM ET
Line: Ohio State Buckeyes (+5.5) vs. Illinois Fighting Illini (-5.5) – view all 2021 NCAAB lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Betting on the Ohio State Buckeyes (+5.5)
Record: 20-8 Overall / 12-8 Conference
The Buckeyes got their revenge on their loss to the Michigan Wolverines in the regular season by eliminating Juwan Howard’s team from the Big Ten tournament by way of a 68-67 win in the semifinals on Saturday. Ohio State bucked the absence of Kyle Young and leaned on Duane Washington and EJ Liddell to beat the Wolverines. Washington had 24 points, while Liddell scored 18. Ohio State’s outside shooting clicked, too, as it went 12 of 22 from deep. Ohio State had beaten the Fighting Illini once in two meetings back in the regular season, scoring an 87-81 road win on Jan. 16 over Illinois. The Buckeyes knocked down 11 threes in that game on 52.4 percent shooting from deep. Young seems unlikely to return to action for Sunday’s title game, but having beaten powerhouse Michigan without him, the Buckeyes should be confident in their chances against the Fighting Illini. Ohio State’s ability to get to the free-throw line a lot could be the difference in the championship game, as the Buckeyes finished the regular season third in the Big Ten with 15.2 free-throws made per game.
The under is 4-1 in Ohio State’s last five games overall.
Betting on the Illinois Fighting Illini (-5.5)
Record: 20-6 Overall / 16-4 Conference
Illinois booked a spot in the finals of the Big Ten tournament by taking down Luka Garza and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the semifinals, 82-71. Illinois got by the Hawkeyes by playing solid defense on Garza who scored 21 points but shot below 50 percent from the field. The Fighting Illini had success containing Garza because of Kofi Cockburn, who also scored 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Cockburn’s partner, Ayo Dosunmo, on the other hand, had 17 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds. The Fighting Illini are going to go as far as where Cockburn and Dosunmo take them and in their 73-68 win over Ohio State in Columbus on Mar. 6, the two combined for 31 points on an efficient 13-of-21 shooting from the field. Cockburn could be a more crucial figure for the Buckeyes this Sunday, as the potential absence of Kyle Young would give the Fighting Illini big man an easier time down low on both ends of the floor.
Illinois is 6-0 against the spread in its last six games overall.
Writer’s Prediction
Illinois wins, 79-77.
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