Illinois vs Northwestern College Basketball Prediction, Odds, Picks, Best Bets for Jan. 14

The Illinois Fighting Illini (13-3, 4-1 Big Ten) will attempt to extend a five-game winning streak when they visit the Northwestern Wildcats (8-8, 0-5 Big Ten) on January 14, 2026 at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Before you place your bet on this matchup at FanDuel Sportsbook, here are the NCAA basketball odds and spreads you need to know.

Illinois vs. Northwestern Game Info and Odds

• Game day: Wednesday, January 14, 2026
• Game time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• TV channel: Big Ten Network
• Location: Evanston, Illinois
• Arena: Welsh-Ryan Arena

Illinois vs. Northwestern Picks and Prediction

All college basketball win probability predictions and picks are according to numberFire.
Prediction: Illinois win (63.2%)

See these betting insights and trends before you bet on Wednesday's Illinois-Northwestern spread (Illinois -9.5) or over/under (152.5 points).

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Illinois vs. Northwestern: ATS Betting Stats and Trends

• Illinois has put together a 10-6-0 record against the spread this season.
• Northwestern has compiled a 5-11-0 ATS record so far this year.
• As a 9.5-point favorite or more in 2025-26, Illinois is 6-4 against the spread compared to the 1-1 ATS record Northwestern puts up as a 9.5-point underdog.
• The Fighting Illini owned a better record against the spread at home (10-7-0) than they did on the road (5-5-0) last season.
• This year, the Wildcats are 3-5-0 at home against the spread (.375 winning percentage). On the road, they are 1-3-0 ATS (.250).
• Illinois has three wins against the spread in five conference games this year.
• Northwestern has one Big Ten win against the spread this year.

Illinois vs. Northwestern: Moneyline Betting Stats

• Illinois has won in eight of the 10 contests it has been named as the moneyline favorite in this year.
• This season, the Fighting Illini have come away with a win five times in six chances when named as a favorite of at least -490 or better on the moneyline.
• Northwestern has been listed as the moneyline underdog a total of four times this season, and it has lost each of those games.
• The Wildcats have played as a moneyline underdog of +365 or longer in only two games this season, which they lost both.
• Illinois has an implied victory probability of 83.1% according to the moneyline set for this matchup.

Illinois vs. Northwestern Head-to-Head Comparison

• Illinois is outscoring opponents by 18.6 points per game with a +297 scoring differential overall. It puts up 86.0 points per game (37th in college basketball) and allows 67.4 per outing (46th in college basketball).
• Illinois' leading scorer, Keaton Wagler, is 223rd in the nation averaging 15.7 points per game.
• Northwestern's +127 scoring differential (outscoring opponents by 7.9 points per game) is a result of putting up 79.1 points per game (136th in college basketball) while allowing 71.2 per outing (116th in college basketball).
• Nick Martinelli's 24.1 points per game paces Northwestern and ranks first in college basketball.
• The Fighting Illini come out on top in the rebound battle by an average of 11.3 boards. They are pulling down 39.1 rebounds per game (12th in college basketball) compared to their opponents' 27.8 per contest.
• David Mirkovic averages 8.6 rebounds per game (ranking 45th in college basketball) to lead the Fighting Illini.
• The Wildcats lose the rebound battle by 1.8 boards on average. They record 30.3 rebounds per game, 289th in college basketball, while their opponents grab 32.1.
• Martinelli averages 6.8 rebounds per game (189th in college basketball) to lead the Wildcats.
• Illinois averages 109.4 points per 100 possessions on offense (15th in college basketball), and gives up 85.8 points per 100 possessions (46th in college basketball).
• The Wildcats put up 102.7 points per 100 possessions (89th in college basketball), while giving up 92.4 points per 100 possessions (164th in college basketball).

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