Julius Marble is getting the start for MSU’s huge game against Illinois.
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Tom Izzo acknowledged on his radio show during the pregame for Michigan State Basketball vs. Illinois that he would be using a starting lineup of:
Rocket Watts
Joshua Langford
Aaron Henry
Gabe Brown
However, he didn’t say who would start at the center position. That information didn’t come out until just before tip, when it was revealed that Julius Marble would start against Illinois’ massive center Kofi Cockburn.
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You can expect to see Izzo throw a variety of players at Cockburn throughout the game.
After another week of split results against Penn State and Illinois, the Wisconsin Badgers continued to fall to No. 21 in the latest Ferr…
After another week of split results against Penn State and Illinois, the Wisconsin Badgers continued to fall to No. 21 in the latest Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Although the Badgers looked dominant in their game against the Penn State Nittany Lions, Wisconsin could not find any answers for the scoring of Kofi Cockburn and Ayo Dosumnu against the Fighting Illini losing by 15 points. It will be important for Wisconsin to play well on Thursday against Nebraska, before playing No. 3 Michigan at the Kohl Center on Feb. 14.
The Big Ten stated its dominance in the latest Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll with three teams included in the top 10. Michigan, Ohio State and Illinois have all moved up this week to No. 3, No. 5 and No. 10, while Iowa has continued their plummet from the top 10 to No. 16. Purdue also makes an appearance in the latest poll at No. 25, because of their upset victory against Minnesota last week.
The top 10 for this week includes Gonzaga (1), Baylor (2), Michigan (3), Villanova (4), Ohio State (5), Illinois (6), Houston (7), Texas Tech (8), Virginia (9) and Missouri (10).
Wisconsin will face the Nebraska Cornhuskers(4-9) next in Lincoln, Neb. on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. CST.
It’s been an up-and-down season in many respects for Greg Gard’s team, the “down” being on full display today as the defense had no answer for the Fighting Illini, the big men got dominated inside and some of the Badgers’ key offensive pieces couldn’t hit a shot all game.
One of the bright spots for Wisconsin was the play of D’Mitrik Trice, as his 22 points on 50 percent shooting represented most of what the Badgers were able to muster offensively.
But the offensive woes weren’t even the story, as a team that prides itself on defense was unable to get stops all game, couldn’t rebound their opponent’s misses and weren’t ever able to overcome their early deficit as a result.
It’s hard to win any basketball game when you shoot 4/24 from deep, lose the rebounding battle 46 to 20 and struggle to stay in front of guards at the top of the key. But against a team with the talent of Illinois? That task becomes nearly impossible.
The sky isn’t falling quite yet in Madison with several critical matchups still left on the schedule, though the team’s 8-5 Big Ten record is starting to put a second straight regular-season crown out of reach.
And if you take a glance at the Badgers’ upcoming schedule, there’s a good chance wins will only get harder and harder to come by as the regular season comes to a close.
The Badgers will return to the court on February 11 when they visit the 4-8 Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Now that the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball season is underway, we are getting a more clear picture of the top prospects in the upcoming class.
Now that the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball season is underway, we are getting a more clear picture of the top prospects in the upcoming class.
Former top recruits like Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley and Jalen Suggs have made a great first impression and have confirmed why many already feel they are going to be solid future professionals in the NBA.
Of course, considering the unusual nature of the college basketball season, some players are struggling a bit more than others. The performance on the court will likely stray closer to the mean with a larger sample size as the year continues.
We highlighted the prospects who have been the biggest risers since we published our last edition of this exercise.
College basketball standouts who have most drastically improved their draft stock through the early parts of the season include Keon Johnson (Tennessee), James Bouknight (UCONN), Jared Butler (Baylor), Corey Kispert (Gonzaga), Day’Ron Sharpe (UNC), Aaron Henry (Michigan State), Ayo Dosunmu (Illinois), Marcus Bagley (Arizona State), Moussa Cisse (Memphis), Charles Bassey (Western Kentucky), Jason Preston (Ohio) and Luka Garza (Iowa).
Below are the rankings based on the latest mock drafts from top analysts and experts:
HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report
A look at the entire Big Ten 2021 preseason first team
As basketball season inches closer, the Big Ten has announced the 2020-2021 preseason selections for the all-conference team. The media voted, and had two unanimous selections, followed by a total of ten players on this year’s team.
Here is a look at the entire squad, and which Badger made the cut:
Michigan State Basketball plays against Illinois at the State Farm Center in a Big Ten matchup. Here are three things to watch in this game.
Big Ten Conference basketball continues on as Michigan State takes on Illinois at the State Farm Center. The Spartans are currently 16-8 overall this year and 8-5 in Big Ten Conference play after a loss to Michigan. Illinois, on the other hand, is 16-7 overall and 8-4 in Big Ten Conference play.
Here are three things to watch in this game:
1. Ayo Dosunmu & Kofi Cockburn
Illinois boasts a lethal Guard/Center duo in Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn. Dosunmu scores 15.8 points per game which ranks him sixth in Big Ten points per game. Cockburn averages 13.8 points per game which ranks him 14th in Big Ten points per game. Both players score in bunches and contribute greatly to Illinois’ offense.
All in all, Illinois is currently fifth in Big Ten points per game as a team, averaging 73.8 points per game. Kofi Cockburn also grabs nine rebounds per game which ranks him sixth in the Big Ten in rebounds per game. Watch for an offensive battle between MSU and the fighting Illini.
2. Rebounding Battle
MSU and Illinois are two of the top three best rebounding teams in the Big Ten. The Spartans are first in rebounds per game and total rebounds with 41.4 and 995 respectively. Illinois is currently third in rebounds per game and total rebounds with 40.3 and 928 respectively. This game will be an absolute battle near the rim for each and every board. Xavier Tillman, Marcus Bingham Jr., & Malik Hall have serious work to do on the glass against the Fighting Illini.
3. Illinois Turnovers
Michigan State and Illinois are also two of the top five Big Ten teams in turnovers per game. Illinois is fourth in the Big Ten with 12.78 in TOPG (turnovers per game). The Spartans rank fifth in TOPG with 12.54. MSU can potentially capitalize on this high turnover rate with easy transition buckets.
Michigan State and Illinois square off this Tuesday at 9 P.M. This game broadcasts live on ESPN. Stay locked on SpartansWire for more coverage to come.
Wisconsin hosts the Illinois Fighting Illini on Wednesday evening. Badger fans should be sure to know these three opposing players.
Wisconsin (9-5) will look to make it five wins in a row when it plays host to Illinois (10-5) at the Kohl Center on Wednesday evening.
The Badgers took down the Fighting Illini in both matchups between these programs last season and have had extraordinary success in this series throughout recent years, winning 14 consecutive games. The last time Illinois beat Wisconsin? Jan. 2, 2011.
That being said, while the Badgers have been on a roll as of late and are coming off of their best win of the season at No. 5 Ohio State last Friday, Wednesday could very well be the day the Illini finally get back in the win column against Wisconsin. There’s still work to be done in order to enhance the resume, but head coach Brad Underwood has a roster this season that should have Illinois contending for its first NCAA Tournament since 2013.
The Illini have been playing some pretty good ball as of late, winning four of their last six games starting with a 71-62 victory over No. 5 Michigan back on Dec. 11. They also destroyed Purdue at home, 63-37, the last time they took the court. However, it’s worth noting that Illinois has dropped three of its four road games this season (against Arizona, Maryland and Michigan State), with the only win coming against Grand Canyon in the second game of the season.
If they are going to take down a Wisconsin group that has been excellent at home so far, these three players are going to need to step up for the Fighting Illini.
As a poor rebounding team, the Badgers are in for a long night on the boards against Illinois, one of the nation’s best in that category. The Illini’s prowess in the paint begins and ends with Cockburn, a 7-0, 290-pound behemoth of a center who is likely to give Wisconsin’s bigs nightmares for weeks.
He’s just a freshman, but the Jamaica native has been a man among boys all season long. Cockburn ranks second in the Big Ten and No. 16 nationally in offensive rebounds and is No. 5 in the conference in total rebounds per game. He’s also Illinois’ top shot-blocker and No. 2 scorer (just 0.1 points below the next player on this list).
A five-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree, Cockburn is likely shoo-in for the conference’s Freshman of the Year award at the end of the season.
Feb 18, 2019; Madison, WI, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) dribbles the ball as Wisconsin Badgers guard Brad Davison (34) follows at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports
A former five-star recruit out of Chicago, Dosunmu lived up to the hype throughout his first go-around in Champaign last season by becoming the first true freshman in school history to lead Illinois scoring. It’s been more of the same type of production for the 6-5 floor general this year.
Dosunmu is second on the team in assists and third in steals, but his primary purpose for the Illini is to get buckets. He’s been quite successful in that regard as the Big Ten’s No. 7 scorer at 15.1 points per game, and his 46.9 percent shooting clip from the floor the eighth-highest in the conference.
That being said, Dosunmu has struggled mightily against the Badgers to this point in his young career, going a combined 8-31 from the floor in Illinois’ two losses to Bucky last season.
Underwood has been having Feliz come off his bench, but you could argue he’s been Illinois’ most valuable player this season.
Cockburn and Dosunmu are legitimate stars and future pros, but every good college basketball team needs a player like Feliz. I’ve watched a few of the Illini’s games this season, and the senior floor general’s leadership, hustle and toughness are palpable. Those intangibles aside, Feliz will also stuff the box score as well: he’s third on the team in scoring and rebounding, and he leads Illinois and ranks ninth in the Big Ten in assists per game.
Previewing Wednesday’s Michigan Wolverines vs. Illinois Fighting Illini sports betting odds and lines, with college basketball betting picks and tips.
The Michigan Wolverines (8-1, 1-0 Big Ten) and the Illinois Fighting Illini (6-3, 0-1) square off at State Farm Center at 9 p.m. ET in a Big Ten Conference clash. We analyze the Michigan-Illinois odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.
Michigan at Illinois: Three things you need to know
1. The Wolverines were drummed 58-43 at No. 1 Louisville Dec. 3, but they rebounded with plenty of anger, topping the Iowa Hawkeyes 103-91 at Crisler Center Dec. 6. While they lost the road game to the Cards, they do have impressive late November wins over then-No. 6 North Carolina (73-64) and then-No. 8 Gonzaga (82-64) on a neutral floor at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas.
2. Michigan is 41-18-2 against the spread in the past 61 against teams with a winning overall record.
3. Illinois is 2-6 ATS in the past eight against teams with a winning overall record.
Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!
Michigan at Illinois: Odds, betting lines and picks
MICHIGAN (+115) is going to win this game outright. An elite team, which beat Gonzaga and North Carolina, isn’t going to lose to an ordinary Illinois club, which has losses to Arizona, Miami (Fla.) and Maryland.
MICHIGAN (+1.5, -110) is worth a rather sizeable bet if you can afford it from your bankroll. Juwan Howard’s club is going to steamroll Illinois (-1.5, -110) on the road in Champaign. The Illini are improving, especially with dynamic freshman C Kofi Cockburn, but they’re not quite there yet.
New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Michigan to stay within 2 points in a loss or win outright would profit $9.09 if it does so.
OVER 142.5 (-110) is the play in this one. I love the Wolverines and the Over as part of a multi-unit parlay. If you’re looking to make a little cheddar on Hump Day, that’s the way to go.
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