The Minnesota Golden Gophers host Illinois on Saturday, looking to build on their 15-6 mark against the 15-5 Fighting Illini in college hoops action at Williams Arena.

The Golden Gophers sit at 15-6 (9-9 ATS) on the season. By comparison, the Fighting Illini are currently 15-5 (8-10 ATS). Looking to wager on the totals? Minnesota is 8-10 OU, and Illinois is 9-9 OU.



View Illinois vs Minnesota Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
Sportsbooks had set the Golden Gophers as 4.5-point favorites on the Sportsbook line for this contest.

Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Golden Gophers - Fighting Illini odds would favor the Golden Gophers if the lines were set according to our power ranks. Minnesota is rated No. 95 in the current Odds Shark poll, while Illinois is at No. 103. Mathematical models based on recent stats and predictive formulas point to a 74-72 win for the Golden Gophers.



How They Match Up:
When it comes to rebounds, the visiting Fighting Illini rank No. 223 in NCAA Division 1 with 34 per game. That compares with Minnesota’s No. 222 ranking in that category. The story is different when it comes to three-point shooting where Minnesota is college basketball's No. 298-ranked team at 4.8 per game, while the Fighting Illini rate No. 190 with 6 per game.

Defensively, Illinois features the nation's No. 27-rated defense on the road, allowing 61.8 points per game. Minnesota, meanwhile, comes in at No. 222 nationally in scoring at home.

Illinois lost its last outing, a 67-63 result against Wisconsin on January 22. They failed to cover in that game as a 1-point underdog. The Fighting Illini endured a 67-63 loss at the hands of the Badgers on Sunday, despite a 16-point effort from Meyers Leonard at University of Illinois Assembly Hall.

In their last action, Minnesota was a 68-52 loser on the road against Michigan State. They failed to cover the 9-point spread as underdogs. Minnesota got 15 points from Rodney Williams but lost anyway, 68-52, to Michigan State on Wednesday at Breslin Center.


Illinois Fighting Illini Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 7-3
Before playing Michigan State are 8-2
After playing Wisconsin are 4-6
After a loss are 8-2

Minnesota Golden Gophers Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 2-8
Before playing Iowa are 5-5
After playing Michigan State are 5-5
After a loss are 2-8

A few Fighting Illini at Golden Gophers trends to consider:
Illinois is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Illinois's last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Illinois is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota's last 7 games when playing Illinois
Minnesota is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing at home against Illinois
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Minnesota's last 9 games at home


Next up:
Illinois home to Michigan State, Tuesday, January 31
Minnesota at Iowa, Wednesday, February 1