Michigan St at Illinois preview and pick!!

[Champion Plays]

The 20th-ranked Fighting Illini look to stay perfect at home when they host the Michigan St Spartans tonight.

Illinois have won all 12 home games this season and overall are 16-5 SU and 6-4 in Big Ten action. They have a mediocre ATS record of 7-7 and at home have covered four of seven. They last played Saturday when they shot just 39% and went down 70-61 at Purdue. But it's their home record that is important tonight and dating back to last season the Illini have won 14 straight games at Assembly Hall. Expect another big performance from senior Forward Brian Cook who is leading the Big Ten in scoring at 20.6 points per game.

Michigan St are 14-9 overall and 6-5 in conference play. Last time out they won but failed to cover the line in a 64-51 home win over Northwestern. The Spartans have lost five of their last six road games SU and ATS...the only win coming against a slumping Indiana.

These teams have met once this season when the Spartans won 68-65 at home so the Illini should be very focused on getting some revenge in this one.

Tonight we'll take the dominant home team against a struggling road team....expect Illinois to post another home victory and cover the line of 6?.

Recommended Play: Illinois -6?

 

[Carpet]

Illinois -6.5 vs Michigan State
Illinois is 36-1 under coach Bill Self at home, tonight the Fighting Illini plays host to Michigan State.

Michigan State won in champaign Feb 3 2002 to hand Bill Self his only home defeat in 3 years..

Illinois is pretty banged up and will be without Luther Head tonight as he rest an injury, Illinois will turn to Roger Powell a
6'-6" true inside player not known as a wing player.

Backup center Smith 7'-2" is also nursing a sore foot and is expected to play, I would not look for much from him, last game in limped up and down the court the whole game.

Illinois outside shooting game has gone south, last game against Purdue they shot 4 for 18 from the field and were 2 for 11 in three point range. Sean Harrington has gone Artic Ice Cold, Illinois top shooting gun from the Arc.

Michigan State is playing pretty good ball the last 4 or 5 games forcing Northwesern into 20 turnovers in its last game.

6.5 points is way to much to lay on Illinois, they are injured, shooting poor, and lack killer instinct in puting teams away.

This will be a DEFENSIVE BATTLE and Cook the Illinois big man will find himself in foul trouble early. The Spartans will go right after Cook inside EARLY AND OFTEN knowing that the back up cnter is hurt.

I look for this to be a very close game and will lay with Michigan State and the points.

Good Luck to all, Carpet