Free NCAA Hoops Pick: Fighting Irish vs. Fighting Illini CBB Odds
Looking for Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Illinois Fighting Illini NCAA basketball free picks & CBB odds? CBB betting sees the Fighting Irish taking on the Fighting Illini on Monday, November 29th, 2021 at State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all college basketball matchups all season long so stay tuned for more FREE daily NCAA basketball predictions like this Fighting Irish Fighting Illini matchup.
2021 NCAA Basketball Handicapping
(3-2) Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Illinois Fighting Illini (4-2)
Date: Monday November 29th, 2021
Time: 9:00 PM ET
Venue: State Farm Center, Champaign, Illinois
CBB Moneyline Odds: Fighting Irish +175 | Fighting Illini -210
CBB Betting ATS Odds: Illinois -4.5 (Bet Now!)
CBB Betting Total: O/U 141.5
Notre Dame and Illinois square off in the ACC / Big Ten challenge on Monday night. Both teams have started off the year in a bit of a disappointing manner suffering two losses in their first five games. A victory in this matchup is a nice momentum builder though.
The Illini are still hovering in the top 15, but suffered consecutive rough losses to Marquette and Cincinnati, both games in which they were at least -8 point favorites. Notre Dame has played three straight neutral site games, and Monday will be their first true road game of the season.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame dropped two games over a three day stretch playing in the Maui Invitational which was held in Las Vegas this year due to travel restrictions in Hawaii. They’ve played some tough competition, falling 62-59 against a St. Mary’s team that was unbeaten at the time.
Notre Dame’s most recent loss was 73-67 against Texas A&M in the 5th place game. The Aggies got the win despite shooting just 14-29 from the free throw line which says even more about how bad the Fighting Irish played in that matchup.
Now the Irish have to regroup after four days off and head to Champaign where Illinois is 3-0 on the season. Notre Dame has some scorers that can keep them in this game, as Dane Goodwin has gone for 17+ in three of the last five while Paul Atkinson, Jr. has also gone for double figures in every game this season.
Illinois Fighting Illini
The big question for Notre Dame is if they can stop this Illinois offense that just put up 94 points on Friday. The Illini had two players score 30+ points in that game led by Kofi Cockburn who had 38 points and 10 boards. Alfonso Plummer also had 30 points on a red hot 6-11 from beyond the arc.
Cockburn is going to be a tough matchup for every team this season. The 7’1, 285 pounder missed the first few games of the year for selling his own merchandise (prior to the NIL deal) but has scored 18+ in all three tilts since returning and is grabbing 10 rebounds/game.
Plummer is on fire with 30 and 21 points his last two and is one of four Illinois players averaging in double figures this season. 6’10” Coleman Hawkins is also a tough matchup for Notre Dame, who went only 7 players deep in their rotation last game.
The Illini do have some injury concerns coming into this matchup though. Andre Curbelo (9/4/5) and Trent Frazier (9/3/2) are both questionable.
CBB Betting Trends:
- Fighting Irish are 1-4 ATS last 5 road games
- Fighting Irish are 1-6 ATS last 7 overall
- Fighting Irish are 1-9 last 10 Monday games
- OVER is 5-2 in Fighting Irish last 7 road games
- Fighting Illini are 0-4 ATS last 4 overall
- Fighting Illini are 0-5 ATS last 5 Monday games
Free Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Illinois Fighting Illini NCAAB Prediction:
The -6.5 line is interesting considering Illinois does have some injury concerns in their backcourt – but at the same time Notre Dame only used 7 players last game (although it was their third in three games in the Maui Invitational).
Notre Dame has had time to recover since their trip to Las Vegas, but they still don’t have the players to match up with Cockburn. If you can get the Illinois big man in foul trouble it greatly improves your chances, but still.
4* Free CBB Betting Pick: Illinois -6.5
This is also the first time this season that Notre Dame has to play in a true away game.
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