Wisconsin vs. Illinois Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Big Ten Tournament Final (Look to Total)

The Wisconsin Badgers’ NCAA Tournament resume got a whole lot stronger on Saturday when the team upset likely No. 1 seed Purdue in overtime in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. 

Now, the Badgers have a chance to secure an automatic bid to the “Big Dance” when they take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Big Ten Tournament Final on Sunday. 

Illinois – behind a 40 ball from Terrence Shannon Jr. – beat Nebraska in the semis to advance to Sunday’s final. 

How should we bet on this matchup with an NCAA Tournament bid on the line? 

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Let’s dive into the odds and my pick for this game: 

Wisconsin vs. Illinois Odds, Spread and Total

Wisconsin vs. Illinois How to Watch

• Date: Sunday, March 17
• Time: 3:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: Target Center
• How to watch (TV): CBS
• Wisconsin record: 22-12
• Illinois record: 25-8

Wisconsin vs. Illinois Betting Trends

• The OVER is 22-12 in Wisconsin’s games this season
• The OVER is 23-10 in Illinois’ games this season
• Illinois is 17-13-3 ATS this season
• Wisconsin is 16-17-1 ATS this season
• Wisconsin is 6-4 ATS as an underdog this season
• Illinois is 13-12-2 ATS as a favorite this season

Wisconsin vs. Illinois Key Players to Watch

Wisconsin Badgers

AJ Storr: March is all about the guards, and Wisconsin’s AJ Storr showed that against Purdue, dropping 20 points and six dimes in the team’s overtime win. On the season, Storr leads the Badgers by averaging 16.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. 

Illinois Fighting Illini 

Terrence Shannon Jr.: One of the best scorers in all of college basketball, Shannon Jr. had 40 points in the Fighting Illini’s semifinal win over No. 3 Nebraska. On the season, he’s averaging 22.6 points per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field. If he stays hot, Illinois is going to win a Big Ten Tournament title. 

Wisconsin vs. Illinois Prediction and Pick

The total in this game is set at 148.5, but I think the OVER is still the play despite Wisconsin’s stereotype as a low-scoring team – something that has changed this season. 

These teams played on March 2, combining for 174 points in a eight-point road win for the Fighting Illini. 

Illinois has a tendency to play high-scoring games, combining for 185 points on Saturday against Nebraska and hitting the OVER in 23 of its 33 games in the 2023-24 season. 

The Badgers, who combined for 151 points in their overtime win on Saturday, have gone OVER the total in 22 of their 34 games in the 2023-24 season. So, the OVER trend is real. 

I don’t mind rooting for points in a game where I think the spread may be factoring in a little too much for Wisconsin’s upset win yesterday. 

Pick: OVER 148.5 (-110)

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.