Michigan vs Illinois Prediction, Picks and Best Bets

The college basketball season is rolling along, giving us plentiful betting options with so many teams in action each day.

Fortunately, we have abundant tools available that can aid our chances of finding good betting value. Bart Torvik and KenPom are excellent sources that give insights into team-level efficiency, and Sports Reference provides a wide range of useful team stats, as well.

Let's check out FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds to find the best bets and player props for Michigan vs. Illinois, which tips at 8 p.m. ET.

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

Illinois vs Michigan Prediction and Picks

Under 157.5 Points (-105)

These two teams both sit in the top five in offense, per KenPom, so it's a little scary to back the under. But that's the side I want to be on.

While both sides are elite on offense, they're also strong defensively, with KenPom ranking Michigan second in defense and Illinois 31st. The Wolverines play at warp speed (second in adjusted tempo), but they might get dragged into a slower pace today in Champaign due to Illinois ranking only 283rd in adjusted tempo.

In some ways, this matchup for Michigan is similar to the one we saw last weekend against Duke. The Blue Devils are great on offense (seventh) and play at a slow pace (273rd), although they're also first in KenPom D. That Michigan-Duke game ended with 131 total points as the defenses won out and neither team shot it well from three.

Illinois isn't Duke on defense, but I think we'll see these two defenses have the upper hand today.

David Mirkovic Over 5.5 Rebounds (-134)

When a shot goes up tonight, it'll be an absolute bloodbath. It should be fun.

Both of these teams are top-tier rebounding squads. For the season, Illinois ranks seventh in rebound rate (57.4%), and Michigan slots in 10th (56.5%). Both teams have elite size and length, and if one team can control the glass, that might decide who wins it.

As far as this prop goes, despite the matchup, I like the over on David Mirkovic's rebounding line. He's shown he's up for the battle against top rebounding teams. At Michigan State (third in rebound rate), Mirkovic pulled down six boards, and he had eight rebounds at Purdue (16th).

This also correlates decently well with the under as more missed shots would mean more rebounding chances.

Mirkovic -- who is averaging 7.7 rebounds per game on the season -- has at least six rebounds in nine of his past 11 games, and he can hit that threshold again today.

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Which bets stand out to you across the nation tonight? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.