The Michigan Wolverines (8-16) take on the 14^th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini (17-6) in hopes of a major upset on Tuesday, February 13 at 7:00 PM ET at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. The Fighting Illini are heavily favored at home, coming in with a point spread set at -15.5 (-110).

The Wolverines have lost their last four out of five games coming into this event. Their most recent battle was a 79-59 blowout loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Dug McDaniel carries a lot of weight offensively with 16.8 points per game. He also leads them in assists with 4.7 each game, while shooting 42.5 percent from the field.

The Wolverines consistently score an average of 76.0 points, with a 45.5 percent success rate in field goals. Their teamwork is apparent through 13.1 assists per game, indicating a below-average ball movement that limits scoring opportunities.

On the defensive end, they concede 78.4 points, resulting in a favorable point differential compared to their offensive performance. Noteworthy statistics also include 36.5 rebounds, 3.9 blocks, and 4.0 steals per game.

The Fighting Illini have gone 3-2 in their previous five matchups, with their most recent game snapping their three-game win streak. In this loss, they fell 88-80 to the Michigan State Spartans.

Marcus Domask leads them in scoring with 15.5 points per game, as well as assists with 3.4. He is also making 45.1 percent of his field goals, making him a big threat in this game.

The Fighting Illini maintain an average score of 82.4 points per game, showcasing an impressive 46.0 percent shooting accuracy. Their ball movement, evident in an average of 13.0 assists per game, aligns closely with the Wolverines in creating scoring opportunities.

Defensively, they restrict opponents to an average of 70.4 points per game, emphasizing a robust margin of victory. Furthermore, they secure an average of 42.7 rebounds, 4.2 blocks, and 4.7 steals per game, illustrating their versatile capability to disrupt opposing teams.

Bookmaker offers the betting odds for the college basketball showdown, favoring the Illinois Fighting Illini by 15.5 points. Market insights suggest that the Fighting Illini have an 93.5 percent likelihood of winning at home. 

The Wolverines inconsistencies will shine through here, as they have issues defending against good-scoring teams. While they too can rack up the points, they will have no answers for the Fighting Illini. In addition, the Fighting Illini has much better defense and can slow down the pace in the half-court setting to grind out a win if needed.