Looking to win big? The Beacons and Fighting Illini face off at 8:00 ET on B1G+. The Fighting Illini are hosting the game at State Farm Center in Champaign, IL. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 137.5 points, with the Fighting Illini being the favored team playing at home against the Beacons.

VALPARAISO BEACONS VS ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI BETTING PICK

The Pick: Valparaiso Beacons +29.5

This game will be played at State Farm Center at 8:00 ET on Friday, November 17th.

WHY BET THE VALPARAISO BEACONS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-68 in favor of the Fighting Illini.
  • Even though we have Illinois winning straight-up, we like Valparaiso at +29.5.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 137.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 143 points.

Do the Beacons Have What it Takes on the Road?

Valparaiso will be playing their third game of the season and currently have a 1-1 record. In their previous five road games, which includes games from last year, Valparaiso has a 0-5 record on the road. Valparaiso’s ATS performance heading into today’s game stands at 1-1. Taking into account their previous season, Valparaiso has gone 3-6 against the spread in their last ten games.

In two games, Valparaiso comes in with an over/under mark of 0-2-0, with their games averaging 122.5 points per game. The Beacons have an over/under record of 0-2 in their last three games, with their games averaging 73 points per game.

In their recent matchup, the Valparaiso offense ended with 64 points against Green Bay. They finished with an overall field goal percentage of 36.2% and made 4 threes. The team’s top scorer is Isaiah Stafford, who enters today’s matchup with an average of 16.7, while Jaxon Edwards also carries a PPG average of 15.7 into the game.

The Beacons’ defense is presently ranked 34th nationally, allowing an average of 62.0 points per contest. The Valparaiso defense is coming off a game in which they gave up a total of 59 points and allowed Green Bay to connect on 4 threes.

Can Illinois Lock in a Home Win?

Illinois is entering their fourth game of the season, having played three games already. The team has a record of 2-1. All three of their games have been played at home. Illinois enters today’s game with a 0-3 record against the spread. Over their previous ten games, which includes last season, Illinois is 3-7 vs. the spread.

Illinois’ games have, on average, featured 128 points per game leading to an over/under record of 0-3-0. Their average over/under line is currently 147.5 points so far. The Fighting Illini have seen their last five games conclude with a collective average of 75 points per game and an over/under record of 2-3.

The Illinois offense is coming off a game where they scored 64 points against Marquette. They posted a field goal percentage of 35% and connected on 11 threes. Terrence Shannon Jr. was the leading scorer for the Fighting Illini, putting up 21 points. In addition, Marcus Domask contributed 18 points.

In the current season, the Illinois defense has excelled, sitting 22nd in the nation by allowing 58.7 points per game. On average, opposing teams are hitting 4.7 threes per game vs. Valparaiso. This has come on three-point shooting percentage of 30.3%.