Happy Friday, sports betting family! Thursday was a so-so night for us on the college hardwood, as our player props went 1-1 to run our record to 49-44 on the season. That brings our overall profit down to -2.81 units.
Jase Richardson humbled us in a big way last night, as he scored 22 points to crush our Under 14.5 ticket on him. The fabulous freshman has a knack for staying calm under pressure. Even in the tough moments when MSU was trailing, Richardson never flinched.
Thankfully, Iowa's Josh Dix got us to the cash-out window, as he ended up hitting three 3-pointers in the 2nd half to win our Over 1.5 bet. The Hawkeyes put up a good fight on Senior Night but just couldn't compete with Sparty's impressive depth.
It's been a rough few weeks here lately, but I have hope that we'll turn it around soon. Enjoy the action! Let's put Friday in the win column, folks!
Most online sportsbooks opened this point spread at Illinois -3.5 on the lookahead line yesterday. Most of the early money has come in on the Fighting Illini, so much so that they're now a 4.5-point favorite at most betting shops. We're still several hours before tip-off, but that's an early sign that the sharps are leaning toward Illinois.
The total has seen some movement towards the Under. The line opened at 160 but is now sitting in the 159 to 159.5 range as of early Friday morning. Both of these teams have lots of capable scorers, so I could see this one getting over the total, especially if Illinois keeps shooting better from downtown.
Purdue at Illinois: 8:00 PM EST (FOX)
It's been a trying year for Ivisic, as he got mono earlier in the season and is now getting over an awful flu bug. That's probably why we're getting such an attractive price on his rebounding total.
The 7'1" center's minutes have steadily increased since the Wisconsin game, except for against Michigan where he got into foul trouble. I'd say he's much closer to 100% now. Ivisic has struggled in the rebounding department, but I expect that to change tonight at home.
This matchup against Purdue is an ideal one for Ivisic, especially on the glass. The Boilermakers rank just 293rd in overall rebounding while the Fighting Illini clocks in at 2nd. Purdue also rates out at just 242nd on the offensive glass while Illinois ranks 10th.
Ivisic is 19-8 to the Over vs. this line in '24-25.
Ivisic's median rebounding total is 7 this season.
Ivisic is 10-4 to the Over vs. this line in home games.
Purdue shots the lights out against Rutgers earlier this week, as Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer put on a clinic against the Scarlet Knights' lackluster defense. I don't see the Boilers shooting as well tonight against an Illinois squad that ranks 10th in 2-point defense.
We have to ask ourselves why an unranked Illinois is favored over No. 18 Purdue. This is the kind of situation that favors the unranked squad, especially when they're at home. I'll call for the Fighting Illini to get the win and the cover on Friday night. Best of luck this weekend!