by Rod Pearson
Wednesday, Jan 28, 2026
Game Time: 9:00 pm ET, Thursday, January 29, 2026
Venue: State Farm Center, Champaign, IL
Where to Watch: Fox Sports 1
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Washington +12.5, Illinois -12.5; Over/Under: 152.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Washington +12.5, Illinois -12.5; Over/Under: 152.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Washington +12.5, Illinois -12.5; Over/Under: 152.5 points
Season Record
Washington Huskies: 11-9 (3-6) (12th place, Big Ten)
Illinois Fighting Illini: 17-3 (8-1) (4th place, Big Ten)
Do not miss out on our expert handicapper analysis! Kyle Hunter is on a HOT STREAK in college basketball on an 8-0 CBB RUN for +$8,000 PROFIT! Make sure you check out his picks and many more from the expert handicappers featured in the Shop Picks section.
Recent Form
Washington Huskies: 2-3 last 5
Illinois Fighting Illini: 5-0 last 5
Washington Huskies vs Illinois Fighting Illini Preview and Analysis
Washington is entering this game with an 11-9 record overall, a 3-6 record in conference games, and they are 2-5 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are coming off a win against the Oregon Ducks in their last game. Jacob Ognacevic, Zoom Diallo, and Quimari Peterson each led the team in points in that game with 12 while Hannes Steinbach and Franck Kepnang each were next on the team with 10. Hannes Steinbach led the team in assists with 4 in that game while Franck Kepnang led the team in rebounds with 14. They were 41.5% from the field, 47.6% from 3-point range, and 61.5% from the free throw line with their shooting in that game. Their offense is averaging 79 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 73.2 PPG against them. Washington has an ATS record of 12-8 this season and their O/U record is 7-12-1.
Illinois is entering this game with a 17-3 record overall, an 8-1 conference record, and they are 10-1 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are coming off a win against the Purdue Boilermakers in their last game. Keaton Wagler led the team in points in that game with 46 while David Mirković was next on the team with 12. Keaton Wagler led the team in assists with 4 in that game while David Mirković and Tomislav Ivišić each led the team in rebounds with 8. They were 48.2% from the field, 47.4% from 3-point range, and 72.7% from the free throw line with their shooting in that game. Their offense is averaging 85.5 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 68.3 PPG against them. Illinois has an ATS record of 13-7 this season and their O/U record is 8-12.
Washington vs Illinois Prediction
The current betting odds have Illinois listed as a 12.5 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Illinois has looked great in their games this season with their 17-3 record overall and their 8-1 conference record which has them right near the top of the Big Ten. They have looked great on their home court too with their 10-1 home record this season. Meanwhile, Washington hasn't looked great in their games this season with their 11-9 record overall and their 3-6 conference record which has them in the bottom half of the Big Ten. They have been a bad road team too with their 2-5 road record this year. Washington is off a win over Oregon in their last one, but Oregon is one of the worst teams in the Big Ten this season. Washington hasn't looked that great lately as they are 2-3 in their last 5 games and this isn't an easy trip for them to make. They have looked better against some mediocre opponents in the conference, but they haven't looked that competitive in their games against the elite teams. Illinois looks like an elite team in the Big Ten right now and they are starting to shape into one of the best teams in the nation. They have been rolling lately with a ton of momentum on their side from 9 wins in a row now, and they are off a road win over Purdue in their last one. They have some really impressive wins this season too and have shown that they can compete with some of the best teams in the nation. This is a bad situation for Washington on the road against an Illinois team that is rolling. Look for Illinois to stay hot here while Washington continues to struggle against top opponents in the conference. The best way to place a bet here is on Illinois to cover the spread in this game.
Washington Illinois Prediction: Our NCAAB Pick for Thursday, January 29, 2026 (9:00 pm ET start time) is Illinois 84 Washington 68.
Don't miss our champion handicappers free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Washington Huskies Illinois Fighting Illini prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our weekly NCAAB predictions and previews.
NCAAB Betting Trends
Washington Huskies: 9-16 ATS off a home win. 4-11 ATS after a win by 15 points or more. 15-24 ATS after 1 or more consecutive wins. 10-5 OVER off a win against a conference rival. 34-24 OVER versus poor pressure defensive teams - forcing 14 turnovers/game or less.
Illinois Fighting Illini: 20-12 ATS as a favorite of 10 or more points. 8-4 ATS versus up-tempo teams averaging 62 or more shots/game. 9-3 ATS when playing against a marginal winning team (Win Pct. 51% to 60%). 26-10 OVER off a win against a conference rival. 17-8 OVER after playing a road game.
Key Injuries
Washington Huskies: D. Claude (G) Questionable - Undisclosed. J. Rencher (F) Questionable - Undisclosed. L. Sommerville (C) Questionable - Knee. M. Traore (F) Out - Foot.
Illinois Fighting Illini: J. Jakstys (C) Out - Undisclosed. K. Boswell (G) Out - Hand. T. Rodgers (G) Out - Knee.
Notable Quotes
"I've been waiting for a game where we make ten threes, and it finally came today." - Danny Sprinkle after his team’s win against Oregon in their last game.
"I thought Keaton was like nothing I've seen in my 39 years, especially in a Top 5 or Top 10 matchup. We just took advantage of their coverages, their switches, and just tried to space. Keaton made it really look easy and I don't mean that in a negative way at all. He just took what the defense gave him." - Brad Underwood after his team’s win against Purdue in their last game.
Starting Lineups
Washington Huskies
D. Claude
Z. Diallo
F. Kepnang
Q. Peterson
H. Steinbach
Illinois Fighting Illini
K. Boswell
T. Ivisic
D. Mirkovic
A. Stojakovic
K. Wagler
Statistical Leaders
Washington Huskies
PPG: Hannes Steinbach (17.5)
APG: Zoom Diallo (3.6)
Reb/G: Hannes Steinbach (11.2)
Illinois Fighting Illini
PPG: Keaton Wagler (17.5)
APG: Keaton Wagler (4)
Reb/G: David Mirkovic (8.4)
Coaches:
Washington Huskies: Danny Sprinkle (2nd season)
Illinois Fighting Illini: Brad Underwood (9th season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
