Missouri vs Illinois Prediction – College Basketball 12/22
One of college basketball’s best under-the-radar rivalries will resume tonight in St. Louis as Illinois takes on Missouri at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Sportsmemo college basketball handicapper JM Sports gives his Missouri vs Illinois picks and predictions.
Missouri vs Illinois Prediction: Best Betting Odds
Friday, December 16 | College Basketball Betting Notes |
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Point Spread: | Marquette Golden Eagles -4 vs Creighton Bluejays |
Total: | 154 Points |
Game Time: | 8:30pm ET / 5:30pm PT |
Arena: | Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI (Odds Above by DraftKings) |
TV: | FS1 |
Missouri enters their final non-conference game at 10-1, but the Tigers have played a very easy schedule up to this point. Missouri’s two biggest wins have come by four points in overtime against Wichita State and by two points against UCF. Their lone loss came at the hands of fellow border rival, Kansas.
This game will kick off a very difficult stretch for the Tigers. After taking on Illinois, Missouri will begin its SEC slate against Kentucky and Arkansas. The Tigers have an offense that is capable of making some noise in the SEC this season, but their defense will need to make strides.
Missouri vs Illinois Prediction – Missouri’s Offense is No Joke
Entering this contest, Missouri’s offense is No. 2 in the country in effective field goal percentage while shooting over 61-percent from inside the arc. The Tigers are one of the most-experienced teams in the nation, with their roster averaging over three years of Division 1 experience per player.
That experience has not translated over to the defensive side of the ball, where opposing offenses have not had trouble scoring on the Tigers.
Missouri is in the bottom-15 percentile in defending the three-point shot, and Illinois is near the top of the country in three-point attempts per game. Over 45-percent of Illinois’ points are scored via the three-pointer.
Illinois’ Defense is Stout!
Despite the fact that Illinois could be without RJ Melendez, I still think that this Illinois defense is too much for the Tigers. I think the Illini will be looking to prove something in their last competitive non-conference game.
They have already played five offenses that rank inside the top-50. Illinois took down two of the best offenses already in UCLA and Texas, and Missouri could soon find themselves added to that list.
Missouri vs Illinois Prediction: The Betting Pick – Illinois Fighting Illini -6.5
Interested in placing a bet on tonight’s Marquette vs Creighton contest? DraftKings is offering a $1,000 Deposit Bonus for first-time bettors in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, Michigan, Virginia, Wyoming and Arizona.
College Basketball Stat Sheet
GoldSheet prepares a daily college basketball stat sheet, which offers a head-to-head comparison for how teams are performing in a number of key areas heading into a game. Check out Friday’s sheet, with notes on tonight’s Marquette vs Creighton contest.
Happy Hour Tip-Off Show
Get your daily fix of college hoops betting information with Joe Raineri and a rotating panel of handicapping guests.
The Happy Hour Tip-Off Show will broadcast Monday through Friday at 1:45pm ET / 10:45am PT. Pull up a barstool and join us as we break down tonight’s college basketball card, including possibly this Marquette vs Creighton clash, from a sports betting perspective.
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Track the college basketball point spreads, moneylines, first half lines and betting percentages for all of Thursday’s college basketball games, including this Missouri vs Illinois showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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