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NCAA Basketball Picks – Big Ten Battle Features Illinois at Seventh-Ranked Ohio State

Bookmark and Share by Eric Williams

The Illinois Fighting Illini have lost three of its last four games and is totally desperate to keep its fading NCAA Tournament hopes alive heading into tonight’s matchup.

Unfortunately, Illinois will be facing a massively motivated Ohio State Buckeyes team that has its own postseason plans when they take to the court at Value City Arena for a Big 10 battle tonight at 9 PM ET that looks like one of the best NCAA basketball picks on the docket for tonight.

Tuesday, March 2, 9:00 PM ET
NCAAB Betting Odds: Ohio State -10

Illinois Fighting Illini (18-11 SU, 12-16 ATS, 16-9 O/U)
Ohio State Buckeyes (23-7 SU, 15-15 ATS, 13-15 O/U)

Here is a look at the key head-to-head NCAAB betting trends surrounding tonight’s contest.

  • Fighting Illini are 2-6 ATS in the last 8 meetings in Ohio St.
  • Road team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
  • Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Ohio St.
  • Under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.

Illinois 411

  • Fighting Illini are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games.
  • Fighting Illini are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
  • Fighting Illini are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS loss.
  • Fighting Illini are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 vs. Big Ten.

Illinois' tournament plans took a major hit with Saturday’s 62-60 loss to Minnesota. Illinois got a team-high 15 points from junior forward Bill Cole, but shot an ice-old 31.9 percent from the field while getting outscored at the free throw line 16-5.

Illinois failed to cover the NCAA betting line a 3-point home favorite, snapping a two-game ATS winning streak in the process.

Ohio State 411

  • Buckeyes are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning percentage above .600.
  • Buckeyes are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
  • Buckeyes are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS loss.
  • Buckeyes are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 home games.

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Ohio State won its fourth consecutive game by laying a 66-55 smackdown on Big Ten rival, Michigan on Saturday afternoon. The Buckeyes shot an incendiary 58.7 percent from the field and got a game-high 24 points from sophomore guard William Buford but failed to cover the NCAA basketball betting line as a 12.5-point home favorite to snap a two-game ATS winning streak.

The Scoop: The Fighting Illini’ will take on a motivated Ohio State team that can earn at least a share of the Big Ten regular-season conference title and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Big Ten tournament with a victory in this contest.

Ohio State has won 12 of its last 13 games and has been getting some terrific performances from Player of the Year candidate Evan Turner who averages of 21.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.1 steals per game.

"I wanted to win a Big Ten title, try to get a national championship and try to be one of the best to ever come out of here," Turner said. "If I never won a Big Ten title or anything like that, that would nag at me for the rest of my life."

While the Buckeyes are hoping for a No. 1 or 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, Illinois is fighting just to get in the field of 65.

Illinois will try to avoid a second straight shellacking at the hands of the Buckeyes after getting beaten 72-53 on their home floor on Valentine’s day.

"We couldn't make nothing," said Illinois point guard Demetri McCamey. "They've got the best starting five in the conference, I believe."

Analysis: I‘ll make short work with this selection by simply saying that the Ohio State Buckeyes are the easy pick to win And cash in despite some surprising ATS success from the Fighting Illini’ recently.

I know Illinois has gone a perfect 5-0 ATS in their last five road games and an even more impressive 4-0 ATS in their last four road games against a team with a winning home record, but I fully believe Ohio State is far and away the better ballclub and has plenty of motivation to not only win this game but win it convincingly as they try to secure a No.1 seed for the NCAA Championship Tournament.

The Buckeyes have gone an encouraging 6-2 ATS in their last eight games against a team with a winning SU record and 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS loss.

I know the Buckeyes are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games but I like them to break out of their ATS slump tonight against an Illinois ballclub that has gone a bankroll-breaking 2-6 ATS in the last eight meetings in Ohio St.

If Ohio State can beat the Fighting Illini’ by nearly 20 points on the road less than a month ago, they should be able to beat Illinois by 11 at home tonight. It’s that simple college basketball bettors.