Illinois vs. Texas Picks, Predictions College Basketball: Top-25 Matchup at Jimmy V Classic
Illinois and Texas will clash in a top-25 matchup on Tuesday. Read on for our top Illinois-Texas college basketball picks based on the latest odds.
The Texas Longhorns have already defeated two top-10 teams in 2022-23, knocking off the Gonzaga Bulldogs 93-74 and the Creighton Bluejays 72-67. Both of those games were played at the Moody Center, which means Tuesday night’s contest against the Illinois Fighting Illini will be the Longhorns' first top-25 matchup away from home this season.
The Illini are 6-2 this campaign, with each of their losses coming against ranked opponents. Their latest was a 71-66 defeat to the Maryland Terrapins. The Illini also picked up a solid 79-70 neutral-court victory over the UCLA Bruins earlier in 2022-23.
Here are our top picks for the college basketball matchup between Illinois and Texas (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Check out our college basketball best bets for Tuesday.
Illinois vs. Texas Game Info
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Illinois vs. Texas Odds
Illinois vs. Texas Odds Analysis
The Longhorns opened as 4.5-point favorites, but the line has dropped a full bucket since then. The spread currently sits at 2.5 at all of the major sportsbooks. DraftKings and BetMGM are offering the spread at -115, while the other books are posting -110. That signals the line could start moving back in the Longhorns’ favor.
As for the total, the number opened at 140.5, and it's gone down since. DraftKings is posting the lowest total, with the line set at 138.5. Caesars is featuring a line of 139, while FanDuel, PointsBet, and BetMGM are at 139.5.
Check out our top sports betting sites in Texas.
Illinois vs. Texas Pick
Under 139.5 (-110) ★★★
Both of these teams are averaging over 80 points per game, but each defense has been outstanding. The Longhorns are allowing just 55.2 points per game, and they held the high-powered Creighton offense to just 67. The Illini are giving up only 60.5 points per game, and the total points didn't go above 137 in each of their two losses.
It may look like these teams have produced inflated numbers due to some really weak competition. Texas has allowed 31, 48, and 54 points, while Illinois has given up 44 and 59 to two different teams. However, neither squad has allowed more than 74 points over five games against ranked opponents.
Offensively, the Illini are averaging 68.7 points per game when facing a top-25 opponent, while the Longhorns are averaging 82.5. The Texas offense could be problematic for this total, but the Longhorns did score only 72 against the Bluejays while shooting just 21.1% from 3-point range in that game.
With this spread moving in favor of the Illini, it could be tempting to take Texas at a small number. But Illinois has been playing tough in every game this season. Expect them to play solid defense and keep this game low-scoring.
Illinois vs. Texas Best Odds
| BetMGM | Caesars | DraftKings | FanDuel | PointsBet |
| Under 139.5 (-110) | Under 139 (-110) | Under 138.5 (-110) | Under 139.5 (-110) | Under 139.5 (-110) |
The odds for this pick are very standard across all five major sportsbooks. No book is offering an inflated price, and PointsBet isn’t posting its usual -107. With all the prices sitting at -110, it simply becomes a matter of betting with the sportsbook that's giving the best number.
BetMGM, FanDuel, and PointsBet are offering the best total, coming in a full point higher than DraftKings. You really can’t go wrong with any of those books.
Where to Bet on Illinois-Texas Picks
Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:
Illinois-Texas picks made 12/6/2022 at 9:15 a.m. ET.
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