The Illinois Fighting Illini take on the Oregon Ducks in Eugene, OR. Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET on FS1.
Oregon is favored by -4.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -173. The total is set at 156.5 points.
Here are my Illinois vs. Oregon predictions and college basketball picks for January 2, 2025.
Illinois vs Oregon Odds
| Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -110 | 155 -110o / -110u | +170 |
| Oregon Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -110 | 155 -110o / -110u | -205 |
- Illinois vs Oregon spread: Oregon -4.5
- Illinois vs Oregon over/under: 155 points
- Illinois vs Oregon moneyline: Oregon -205, Illinois +170
- Illinois vs Oregon best bet: Oregon -4.5 (Play to -5.5)
My Illinois vs Oregon best bet is on the Ducks spread, with the best odds currently available at FanDuel. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
My Illinois vs Oregon College Basketball Betting Preview
I know it sounds crazy that Illinois is heading to Eugene to face Oregon in a conference battle, but it's reality. Both teams should be in the mix for the conference crown by season's end.
Illinois might have the highest upside of any team in the Big Ten, largely thanks to its tandem of international freshmen: Kasparas Jakucionis and Tomislav Ivisic. That duo is very tough to contain in the pick-and-pop game, as Jakucionis shoots a jarring 41% from 3 while the 7-foot-2 Ivisic shoots 38% from 3.
The two combine for over 30 points per game, so Illinois will need terrific outings from those two.
Offensively, shooting is the key to whether or not the Illini will have a successful showing. They attempt perimeter jumpers on 51% of their field goal attempts, which ranks eighth nationally, but they shoot just 33% on those shots.
That puts some context into why Illinois' offense ranks No. 33 in offensive efficiency, per KenPom.
The inconsistent shooting stems from two portal adds not living up to expectations. Kylan Boswell was a consistent shooter at Arizona, but he's hitting just 22% of his shots from 3.
Meanwhile, Ben Humrichous was a prolific shooter at Evansville, and he's shooting just 34% from 3 this year.
I didn't foresee defense being Illinois' calling card, but it has been. According to KenPom, Brad Underwood ushers in the nation's 12th-most efficient defense. Converting on field goals has proven arduous for foes facing this vaunted Illini defense, as it holds them to 26% from 3 and 42% from 2.
Scoring doesn't come easy against Illinois, but it's tough to gauge whether a game will turn into a rock fight or not with its reliance on shooting.
Oregon might be the quietest 12-1 team in the country, with its lone loss at the hands of a miracle 3 from UCLA's Dylan Andrews.
Oregon is plenty capable of beating good teams. Just ask Alabama, Texas A&M and San Diego State, all of which took losses from the Ducks in the Players Era Festival.
If you told me the Jackson Shelstad hype train hit a pretty big roadblock, then I wouldn't have seen Oregon being this good. Although Shelstad is averaging just 10 points per game on sub-40% shooting and sub-30% from 3, Oregon maintains a highly effective offense.
How did Dana Altman make this one happen with his presumed star not being a star? A by-committee approach, led by versatile 7-footer Nate Bittle's 13 points. All five of the Ducks' starters pitch in 10+ points a night.
Getting over 50 points per game from the starters — mixed with the occasional big game from TJ Bamba and Keeshawn Barthelemy — makes for a strong offensive unit.
The most underrated of the bunch is forward Brandon Angel. Coach Altman knew the power of Angel from facing him at Stanford, and he's developed into one of the most efficient scorers in America. The 6-foot-8 forward averages 10 points per game on 64% shooting and 47% from 3.
I could spend time talking about the effectiveness of Oregon's defense, but let's focus on the Ducks' ability to defend the pick-and-roll. That's a spot where Oregon excels, holding opponents to 0.636 PPP on the pick-and-roll (per Synergy), which ranks in the 86th percentile.
That's a huge advantage for the Ducks against this high-volume pick-and-roll attack.
Illinois vs. Oregon Betting Analysis
The market has already shifted in this one.
That's not surprising considering the long travel for Illinois.
Plus, Big Ten road games are never easy.
I think the Ducks match up nicely at home with the Illini, who could struggle to shoot against Oregon's reliable defense.
Pick: Oregon -4.5 (Play to -5.5)
