Both teams enter this matchup riding impressive winning streaks, they are playing some of their best basketball. Despite the absence of a home-court advantage in the Jimmy V Classic, both FAU and Illinois bring considerable momentum. FAU features an offense shooting 50% from the field and putting up 83.9 points per game. Conversely, Illinois stands out for their defensive prowess, allowing a mere 58.6 points per game this season. The Fighting Illini also shine as one of the nation's top rebounding teams, averaging over 45.3 rebounds per game.
This promises to be an exciting matchup between two high-caliber teams, but my inclination leans towards Illinois. Their impressive defensive performance this season and dominance on the boards provide a notable advantage. FAU, known for their scoring, faces a huge challenge against Illinois' stifling defense, which only allows 91.6 points per 100 possessions, securing them the 8th rank in D1. Illinois is 5-1 against the spread in their last 6 games as an underdog.
Pick: Illinois +2 (-110)
🍀Best of luck!
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