T.M. Selection: Illinois.

I like Illinois to cover the spread against Rutgers in this game on Friday. Illinois has looked great in their games lately winning 3 games in a row. Their smallest win in those games was by 8 points over Kansas State and that is their smallest win all year out of the 5 games that they have won. They just won their most recent game over Notre Dame by 10 points. Rutgers has not looked as good as Illinois does in their games and Rutgers just broke a 3 game losing skid in their most recent game with a win over Clemson by 10 points. Before that game, they had lost 3 games in a row to DePaul, Lafayette, and UMass and their biggest loss in those games was by 3 points. Their last loss was a 2 point loss to UMass on the road and they were winning by 15+ points in that game at halftime but they managed to blow that lead and lose the game by 2 points. They have only played 2 road games this year and they have lost both of them. I think that Rutgers is going to struggle on the road in this game and I also think that they have played in too many close games and are due for a big loss here. Illinois has been winning all of the games they have won by 8+ points and I think that is going to happen again here. I like Illinois to cover the spread in this game.

T.M. Prediction: 78-64 Illinois.