Michigan State comes calling on Illinois featuring
a match up of two of the final four teams of last year.
Illinois opens a 6.5 point chalk.
MSU opens the Big-10 with 4 straight games against
teams ranked in the top 25. The Spartans are the only
team in the nation to open conference play with its first 4 games
Vs ranked opponents.
MSU is loaded in depth and talent, the coach is
one of the brightest in the land, they will come to play hard.
MSU has issues playing defense, they are allowing
over 72 points per game while locking it down, the perimeter
3 point defense is also very suspect allowing over 36%
from the arc....
MSU is money at the charity stripe, 75% that's good for
6th in the nation. Paul Davis is hitting over 88%.
Coach Izzo said "There is a train wreck coming, my job
is to make sure they know it (my players)..
A LOOK AT ILLINOIS
Illinois leads the Big-10 in scoring margin at 19.9 pg
Winners of 29 straight home games
True Freshmen Jamar Smith leads the nation in 3 point
FG% at a blistering 56.9%.
DEFENSE WINS GAMES
Holding opponents to 55 points a game on 39% shooting.
Illinois has not given up more than 65 pts to any team this year
holding 10 of 14 teams to less than 60 points a game.
The outside perimeter defense is even more impressive
holding opponents to 27%
CRASHING THE BOARDS
An area that Illinois has really improved upon this year
over last year is in Rebounding. Illinois is averaging 38.4 rpg
and have totaled over 40 plus boards 6 times this year.
Illinois has out rebounded opponents by an average of 8.5 per game.
Last year in comparison the Illini out rebounded opponents by 3.0 per game.
ILLINI STAT OF THE DAY
Illinois center James Augustine has won the opening tip in
all but one game this year, and he has won the opening tip
81% of the time in his career, 92-21 overall...
FINAL THOUGHT
Illinois opens a 5.0 chalk, I see no reason that they will not cover
this number. Both teams will come to play and I expect it to be a
superior game. The turning point will be Illinois clamp down defense,
and MSU's lack of defense.
My numbers show Illini by 8
a match up of two of the final four teams of last year.
Illinois opens a 6.5 point chalk.
MSU opens the Big-10 with 4 straight games against
teams ranked in the top 25. The Spartans are the only
team in the nation to open conference play with its first 4 games
Vs ranked opponents.
MSU is loaded in depth and talent, the coach is
one of the brightest in the land, they will come to play hard.
MSU has issues playing defense, they are allowing
over 72 points per game while locking it down, the perimeter
3 point defense is also very suspect allowing over 36%
from the arc....
MSU is money at the charity stripe, 75% that's good for
6th in the nation. Paul Davis is hitting over 88%.
Coach Izzo said "There is a train wreck coming, my job
is to make sure they know it (my players)..
A LOOK AT ILLINOIS
Illinois leads the Big-10 in scoring margin at 19.9 pg
Winners of 29 straight home games
True Freshmen Jamar Smith leads the nation in 3 point
FG% at a blistering 56.9%.
DEFENSE WINS GAMES
Holding opponents to 55 points a game on 39% shooting.
Illinois has not given up more than 65 pts to any team this year
holding 10 of 14 teams to less than 60 points a game.
The outside perimeter defense is even more impressive
holding opponents to 27%
CRASHING THE BOARDS
An area that Illinois has really improved upon this year
over last year is in Rebounding. Illinois is averaging 38.4 rpg
and have totaled over 40 plus boards 6 times this year.
Illinois has out rebounded opponents by an average of 8.5 per game.
Last year in comparison the Illini out rebounded opponents by 3.0 per game.
ILLINI STAT OF THE DAY
Illinois center James Augustine has won the opening tip in
all but one game this year, and he has won the opening tip
81% of the time in his career, 92-21 overall...
FINAL THOUGHT
Illinois opens a 5.0 chalk, I see no reason that they will not cover
this number. Both teams will come to play and I expect it to be a
superior game. The turning point will be Illinois clamp down defense,
and MSU's lack of defense.
My numbers show Illini by 8
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