Illinois basketball vs Wisconsin: Can the Illini get back in the win column?

Illinois basketball will return home to host Wisconsin following their overtime loss at Michigan State. Illinois and Wisconsin met twice last season and split the series, but this year’s conference slate will feature just one matchup between the longtime rivals.

Date: Tuesday, February 10
Time: 7:00 p.m. CST
Channel: Peacock
Line: Illinois -11.5

Wisconsin will look to earn its ninth conference win of the season and bounce back from a controversial loss to Indiana on Saturday. The Badgers fell 78–77 in overtime after a questionable foul call on John Blackwell with two seconds remaining. The defeat was just their third loss since the calendar turned to 2026.

Illinois enters as the better team in this matchup, but Wisconsin boasts one of the best backcourts in college basketball. Nick Boyd and John Blackwell are both averaging over 18 points per game and shoot efficiently from beyond the arc.

The Illini will once again be without Kylan Boswell, which hurts their ability to slow down Boyd. However, the senior guard is expected to return soon.

Andrej Stojaković and Keaton Wagler will be tasked with containing Wisconsin’s dynamic backcourt. Seven-foot center Nolan Winter is the Badgers’ only other double-figure scorer, averaging 14.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.

Head coach Brad Underwood has been elite following a loss since 2020. Illinois basketball is 41–9 in those games, ranking fifth nationally. I expect the Illini to take care of business on their home floor after a disappointing loss to Michigan State and add another Quad 2 win to their resume.

Game Prediction: Illinois 84, Wisconsin 75

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