Illinois vs Minnesota College Basketball Prediction, Odds, Picks, Best Bets for Jan. 17

The Illinois Fighting Illini (14-3, 5-1 Big Ten) will look to continue a six-game win streak when they host the Minnesota Golden Gophers (10-7, 3-3 Big Ten) on January 17, 2026 at State Farm Center.

Before you place your bet on this game at FanDuel Sportsbook, here are the NCAA basketball odds and spreads you need to know.

Illinois vs. Minnesota Game Info and Odds

• Game day: Saturday, January 17, 2026
• Game time: 12 p.m. ET
• TV channel: Big Ten Network
• Location: Champaign, Illinois
• Arena: State Farm Center

Illinois vs. Minnesota Picks and Prediction

All college basketball win probability predictions and picks are according to numberFire.
Prediction: Illinois win (89.2%)

Before you decide to wager on Illinois-Minnesota outing (in which Illinois is a 15.5-point favorite and the over/under is set at 142.5 points), below are some betting trends and insights for Saturday's game.

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Illinois vs. Minnesota: ATS Betting Stats and Trends

• Illinois has covered 11 times in 17 chances against the spread this season.
• Minnesota has won seven games against the spread this season, while failing to cover 10 times.
• Illinois covers the spread when it is a 15.5-point favorite or more 71.4% of the time. That's more often than Minnesota covers as an underdog of 15.5 or more (never covered this season).
• Against the spread, the Fighting Illini have performed worse at home, covering six times in nine home games, and three times in four road games.
• The Golden Gophers' winning percentage against the spread at home was .263 (5-14-0) last season. On the road, it was .600 (6-4-0).
• Illinois has beaten the spread four times in six conference games.
• Against the spread in Big Ten action, Minnesota is 3-3-0 this season.

Illinois vs. Minnesota: Moneyline Betting Stats

• Illinois has come away with nine wins in the 11 contests it has been listed as the moneyline favorite in this season.
• The Fighting Illini have not lost in three games this year when favored by -1786 or better on the moneyline.
• Minnesota has won 37.5% of the games this season it was the underdog on the moneyline (3-5).
• The Golden Gophers have played as a moneyline underdog of +920 or longer in only one game this season, which they lost.
• The moneyline set for this matchup implies Illinois has a 94.7% chance of walking away with the win.

Illinois vs. Minnesota Head-to-Head Comparison

• Illinois outscores opponents by 18.1 points per game (scoring 85.6 per game to rank 41st in college basketball while allowing 67.5 per outing to rank 47th in college basketball) and has a +308 scoring differential overall.
• Keaton Wagler's 16.1 points per game lead Illinois and are 192nd in college basketball.
• Minnesota's +108 scoring differential (outscoring opponents by 6.3 points per game) is a result of putting up 73.1 points per game (271st in college basketball) while allowing 66.8 per contest (35th in college basketball).
• Cade Tyson's team-leading 21.1 points per game rank him 17th in the country.
• The Fighting Illini prevail in the rebound battle by an average of 11.0 boards. They are recording 38.7 rebounds per game (13th in college basketball) compared to their opponents' 27.7 per outing.
• David Mirkovic averages 8.4 rebounds per game (ranking 54th in college basketball) to lead the Fighting Illini.
• The Golden Gophers win the rebound battle by three boards on average. They record 31.2 rebounds per game, 260th in college basketball, while their opponents grab 28.2.
• Jaylen Crocker-Johnson tops the Golden Gophers with 6.7 rebounds per game (209th in college basketball).
• Illinois ranks 16th in college basketball by averaging 109.4 points per 100 possessions on offense, and defensively is 46th in college basketball, allowing 86.3 points per 100 possessions.
• The Golden Gophers rank 141st in college basketball averaging 99.7 points per 100 possessions on offense, and defensively are 125th, allowing 91 points per 100 possessions.

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