Wisconsin basketball is looking to get back into the win column against Illinois after suffering their first two losses of the season in back-to-back games. Read more for a full Wisconsin vs Illinois prediction and preview.
Illinois has won eight straight games against Wisconsin, with the most recent game being the 2024 Big 10 Championship game. Prior to that eight-game losing streak, the Badgers had a 15-game winning streak over the Fighting Illini. We will see if Illinois can continue that streak, or if the Badgers will try and spark a run of their own.
General Information:
Teams: Wisconsin (8-2) and Illinois (6-2)
Tip-off: 8 p.m. CST
Where to watch: Peacock
Latest on Illinois basketball:
The Fighting Illini are coming off of a tough overtime loss against Northwestern. Both teams scored just 56 points in regulation. It was one of the worst shooting performances of the year for Illinois, as they shot 25-for-67 from the field (37%), and 9-for-34 from three (26%).
Taking a look at their season as a whole, it has been a nice start for the Illini. Their only other loss came on the road against No. 8 Alabama, and they picked up a win over No. 19 Arkansas on Thanksgiving.
The Illini have seen over 14 points per game from three underclassmen: Tomislav Ivisic (sophomore), Will Riley (freshman), and Kasparas Jakucionis (freshman). Riley and Jakucionis’ early-season production as freshmen is part of the reason Illinois has been able to recover quickly after losing a lot of their talent from last season. Ivisic, who stands at 7’1, will be an interesting matchup for Wisconsin, as Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter have struggled to guard larger opponents. Despite being unranked, Illinois come into this matchup as 6.5-point favorites.
Latest on Wisconsin basketball:
After starting 8-0, the Badgers have fallen to Michigan and No. 5 Marquette over the past week. They were competitive in both matchups, leading Michigan for most of the game, and took a lead into halftime against Marquette. Wisconsin’s problem across these two games has been lack of production from their pair of seven-footers, Nolan Winter and Steven Crowl. The two have combined for just 19 points over the past two games.
Wisconsin’s guard play has been defined by John Blackwell, Max Klesmit, and John Tonje. Tonje has been their number one averaging 21.5 points per game, and has scored at least 13 points in every game this season. Blackwell and Klesmit have been a little less consistent. Klesmit has scored over 20 points on two occasions this season, including a 22-point performance against Marquette, in which he made six threes. Getting all three starting guards going against Illinois will be crucial.
The Badgers definitely have the ability to win this game, but a lot has to change. Can Nolan Winter and Steven Crowl step up? Yes. Can Blackwell, Klesmit, and Tonje all have high-caliber performances? I’m not sure. Give me Illinois at home in a close battle.
Wisconsin vs Illinois prediction: Fighting Illini by 4