College Hoops: Wisconsin vs Illinois

The Wisconsin Badgers are one of the most underrated teams in college basketball, and they've proved it yet again in 2010.

The Badgers didn't have great expectations for the season and started out a little slowly by their standards.

But the time Big Ten play heated up, Wisconsin was right back in the thick of the Big Ten Conference basketball race yet again despite missing perhaps their second-best player, Jon Leuer, with a broken hand for much of the year.

Bo Ryan seems to be able to plug just about anybody into his system and it continues to hum along, year after year.

Illinois and coach Bruce Weber's system is similar in a lot of ways, but the Illini haven't had the same kind of success since their title game run in 2006.

They're still a dynamite home team during the Orange Out of Assembly Hall, however, and that's where the Illini will make their last stand against the Badgers on Sunday, March 7.

The Illini have dropped to just 18-12 and 10-7 in the Big Ten on the season as their RPI numbers continue to drop.

Illinois once seemed a lock for a March Madness berth but now the Illini are perhaps on the wrong side of the bubble.

A win over Wisconsin would be crucial for impressing the selection committee and the Illini have the team to do it.

Wisconsin likes to beat opposing teams on the board with their big men but Illinois can counter with lanky post men Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis.

The college basketball betting odds on this one are likely to be about even or Illinois as a small favorite considering how much they have on the line going into this one and the home crowd factor, and for the Illini to win they'll need a big game from senior Demetri McCamey.

McCamey could draw Travon Hughes when he's on offense and Hughes is a good defender but more of a PG and a bit undersized to check McCamey.

Jason Bohannon is a good defender but not strong enough to stop McCamey all game.

If McCamey can shoot with the kind of confidence he's accustomed to and the Illini move the ball around the way they're capable of doing on offense, they seem like a good college basketball betting pick to make this weekend.

The Badgers are 5-4 on the road ATS this season, however, but they could have trouble scoring against a fired up Illini defense.

On the Illini's end, Illinois is just 5-12 ATS at home this season according to the NCAA basketball betting trends, likely a result of Vegas oddsmakers overestimating their classic home court advantage.

The difference in this game could be an angry, desperate Illini bunch after dropping their last home game to a scrappy Minnesota team.

The Illini should be able to circle the wagons for this one and pull it out in a close game at home.