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The No. 3-ranked Michigan Wolverines head to Champaign to face the No. 10 Illinois Fighting Illini on Friday night.
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Although the Illini have won the last nine meetings between these Big Ten foes, my Michigan vs. Illinois predictions expect the Wolverines to snap that streak.
Here are my best free college basketball picks for this marquee matchup on February 27.
Michigan vs Illinois prediction
Michigan vs Illinois best bet: Michigan moneyline (-115)
Both teams have elite offenses, but the Michigan Wolverines have the superior defense. Michigan’s only offensive flaw is turnovers, but the Illinois Fighting Illini are dead last in the country in opponent TO rate.
The Illini are 8-5 in Quad 1 games, with foes shooting 51.5% inside the arc and 35.8% from deep in those contests.
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Meanwhile, the Wolverines are 11-1 in Quad 1 games with an opponent 2PT% of 43.4% and an opponent 3PT% of 28.4%. That elite perimeter defense will stymie an Illinois attack that attempts threes at the eighth-highest rate in the country.
Michigan vs Illinois same-game parlay
Michigan point guard Elliot Cadeau has dropped 6+ dimes in eight of his last 10 games, and he’ll thrive due to Illinois’s lack of ball pressure.
Illinois guard Kylan Boswell shoots just 30.8% from deep and has knocked down fewer than 1.5 threes in six of his last seven contests.
Michigan vs Illinois SGP
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Elliot Cadeau Over 5.5 assists
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Kylan Boswell Under 1.5 threes
Our beyond the arc SGP: Maize & Blue Ball Out
Yaxel Lendeborg leads UM with 14.2 ppg but is coming off a quiet performance against Minnesota. Dusty May will need to get Lendeborg more involved in the offense, like he was in big games against Gonzaga, Michigan State, and Duke, where he hit the 20-point plateau.
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Illinois has a pair of seven-foot centers in brothers Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic. Michigan will need to employ 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara to deal with them. The Spaniard has logged 7+ boards in three of his last five games.
Michigan vs Illinois SGP
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Elliot Cadeau Over 5.5 assists
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Yaxel Lendeborg Over 14.5 points
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Aday Mara Over 6.5 rebounds
Michigan vs Illinois odds
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Spread: Michigan -115 | Illinois -105
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Moneyline: Michigan -1 | Illinois +1
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Over/Under: Over 158 | Under 158
Michigan vs Illinois betting trend to know
The Wolverines are 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS against ranked opponents this season. Find more college basketball betting trends for Michigan vs. Illinois.
How to watch Michigan vs Illinois
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Location |
State Farm Center, Champaign, IL |
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Date |
Friday, February 27, 2026 |
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Tip-off |
8:00 p.m. ET |
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TV |
FOX |
Michigan vs Illinois key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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