Illinois vs. Iowa Prediction, Picks & Odds | College Basketball Picks Today (Jan. 11)
Two AP top-20 teams from the Big Ten do battle in the only all-ranked matchup on the Sunday college basketball slate, and I break it down with my Illinois vs. Iowa prediction. Tipoff from Carver-Hakweye Arena is set for noon E.T. (FOX).
The No. 19 Hawkeyes are the 1.5-point home betting favorite over the No. 16 Fighting Illini, and I am backing an Iowa team that hasn’t lost at home all season.
🏀 Illinois vs. Iowa predictions
See our experts' college basketball picks based on the latest college basketball odds.
| Prediction | Best odds | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa -1.5 | -105 via FanDuel | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Under 143.5 | -105 via FanDuel | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Andrej Stojakovic Over 13.5 points | -105 via bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
💰 Illinois vs. Iowa best bet: Iowa -1.5 (-105) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Check out all of our college basketball analysis and expert predictions this season.
Iowa has egregious, difficult-to-ignore home/road splits, which is why I expect Carver-Hawkeye Arena to make the difference in this top-19 matchup.
The Hawkeyes entered the weekend leading the country in effective field goal percentage and rank fifth in adjusted offensive efficiency in home games. They are also a top-30 defensive team and force turnovers at a near 23% clip (28th-best at home).
Those numbers dip significantly on the road, from an adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency that ranks outside the top 55, while their effective field goal percentage plummets to 177th.
Score prediction: Iowa 74, Illinois 70
🔥 Best Illinois vs. Iowa player prop: Andrej Stojakovic Over 13.5 points (-105) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Illinois has seen the Under cash in 11 of its 15 games, largely because it is comfortable playing in a half-court setting (8th percentile transition rate, 95th percentile halfcourt efficiency). I expect it to test Iowa’s pick-and-roll coverage, while hunting mismatches with versatile scorers like Andrej Stojakovic.
Stojakovic has faced five ranked opponents, and produced three of his five-highest scoring totals in that span.
While he has combined games of 19, 23, and 26 points with clunkers of three and five, this Iowa defense doesn’t play as physically as the UConn or Tennessee defenses that held him down.
📊 Live Illinois vs. Iowa odds
📈 Illinois vs. Iowa betting trends
| Illinois | Statistic | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| 12-3 | W-L record | 12-3 |
| 9-6 | ATS record | 11-4 |
| 4-11 | O/U record | 8-7 |
| 4-1 | Last 5 games | 4-1 |
📺 How to watch Illinois vs. Iowa
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 11
- Tipoff: Noon ET
- Location: Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City, Iowa)
- TV: FOX
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