Rutgers vs Illinois Prediction and Pick, College Basketball Picks, 1-8-2026

Rutgers vs Illinois Prediction and Pick, College Basketball Picks, 1-8-2026. Place a bet on this game at YouWager.lv..

Rutgers vs Illinois Prediction – College Basketball Picks 1-8-2026

For the college basketball game that will take place on Thursday, January 8th, we will be formulating a prediction for the matchup between Rutgers and Illinois in this post. Let us have a look at the forecast for this college basketball game that is going to take place.

In the current season, the Illinois Fighting Illini have a record of 11-3 and are currently tied for sixth place in the Big Ten Conference. They have a record of 7-1 at home and are coming off of a victory over Penn State that they won 73-65 away from home. In their previous three games, they had a home victory over South Carolina Upstate by a score of 90-55, a home victory over Missouri by a score of 91-48, and a home defeat to Nebraska by a score of 83-80.

Illinois’s offensive performance is averaging 87.1 points per game, while its defensive performance is averaging 68.2 points per game. The Fighting Illini have a field goal percentage of 48%, a rebounding average of 42.4 per game, and an assist averaging of 14.9 per game. When it comes to defense, they have an average of 5.6 blocks per game and 3.7 thefts per game.

Keaton Wagler is the leading scorer for the Illinois Wildcats, averaging 15.4 points per game. He also has a shooting percentage of 45.9% from the field and 82.9% from the free throw line, and he also has 3.8 assists, which is the most on the team. With an average of 8.4 rebounds per game, David Mirkovic is the team’s leading rebounder.

This season, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights have a record of 8-7 and are currently tied for 14th place in the Big Ten Conference. They have a record of 0-2 on the road and are coming off of a victory at home versus Oregon by a score of 88-85. With a home defeat to Ohio State by a score of 80-73, a home victory over Delaware State by a score of 65-50, and a home victory over Pennsylvania by a score of 70-69, their previous three games were completed.

When it comes to offense, Rutgers brings in 70.3 points per game on average, while their defense allows 72.5 points per game on average. The Scarlet Knights have a field goal percentage of 41%, a rebounding average of 35.7 per game, and a passing percentage of 10.7 assists per game. When it comes to defense, they have an average of 3.6 blocks per game and 6.8 thefts per game.

With an average of 14.9 points per game, Tariq Francis is the leading scorer for Rutgers. He also has a shooting percentage of 45.8% from the field and 87.3% from the free throw line. Jamichael Davis contributes a team-high 2.5 assists per game, while Emmanuel Ogbole leads the team in rebounding with 6.9 per game. This makes him the team’s leading rebounder.

Over the past 14 games, Illinois has won every single one of them against teams that are not rated by the Associated Press.
All six of Rutgers’ most recent games against AP-ranked opponents have ended in defeat for the team.
In each of its last 14 games against teams who are not rated by the Associated Press, Illinois has earned the first half victory.
In its most recent four games, Rutgers has won three of them.
The first half of three of Rutgers’ most recent four road night games against Conference opponents has been triumphant for the Rutgers team.
There has been a total of 146 or more points scored in each of the last thirteen night games that Rutgers has played against Conference opponents.
The previous nine games that Illinois has played at State Farm Center have all resulted in a total of 145 or more points being scored.

The Illinois Wildcats are the home favorites in this Rutgers vs. Illinois Prediction, with a -21.5 point advantage. Over the course of this season, Illinois has been the superior team over Rutgers, as seen by their superior overall record and a lower percentage of losses. In addition, they have a record of 7-1 at home, which is virtually perfect, whereas Rutgers has lost both of its games away from home and has a dismal record against the spread, with a record of 5-10 against the spread this particular season. With a point difference of +18.9 this season, Illinois is superior both offensively and defensively, and as a result, I anticipate that they will be able to accomplish their goal at home in a manner that is easy for them. Put the big amount at home and choose Illinois as your example.

✅ Our Rutgers vs Illinois Pick: Illinois

All College Basketball Predictions 1-8-2026

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