The Illinois Fighting Illini take on the UConn Huskies in New York, NY. Tip-off is set for 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
UConn is favored by -2.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -155. The total is set at 155.5 points.
Here are my Illinois vs. UConn predictions and college basketball picks for November 28, 2025.
Illinois vs UConn Prediction
My Pick: UConn -2.5 (Play to -4)
My Illinois vs UConn best bet is on the Huskies to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Illinois vs. UConn Odds
| Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -110 | 155.5 -110 / -110 | +130 |
| UConn Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -110 | 155.5 -110 / -110 | -155 |
- Illinois vs UConn spread: UConn -2.5
- Illinois vs UConn over/under: 155.5 points
- Illinois vs UConn moneyline: Illinois +130, UConn -155
Illinois vs UConn College Basketball Betting Preview
Illinois Basketball
Playing at MSG will be the furthest game away from home for Illinois so far this season. It played two top-10 caliber squads in Texas Tech and Alabama, but both took place in Illinois.
While the Alabama game was a "neutral" game, that's merely a technicality; it was at the Chicago Bulls' arena, and it was about 99% Illinois fans.
The Illini have a terrific offensive-first squad, ranking sixth in offensive efficiency. They still attempt tons of 3s, as 44% of their shots come from downtown. However, it's more of a balanced scoring team than last season.
On bad shooting nights in 2024-25, Illinois had no chance. This season, it can survive an off-night.
Brad Underwood has quickly found out where his team's best offense comes from: Usually it's Andrej Stojakovic posting up and making things happen. The 6-foot-6 guard leads the Illini with 18.5 points per game while shooting 58.8% from the field.
He's a dominant force near the rim, and his driving also opens up shooting lanes.
Still, I think UConn is fine if Stojakovic does his thing. Just think about the title game a few years ago — Dan Hurley let Zach Edey cook. That was fine, as long as Purdue didn't hit 3s. I expect the same thing here.
Illinois's top four scorers are all shooting below 33% from 3. The only starter shooting above that is Tomislav Ivisic, and he's a premier pick-and-pop big.
Against Texas Tech and Alabama, Illinois allowed 1.07 and 1.14 PPP in those two matchups. That's the only two high-major squads that Illinois has played, so the data is limited.
However, Illinois looked a bit overwhelmed with Alabama and Texas Tech's speed. We'll see how the Illini handle the speed of a high-major opponent like UConn. At least having a stud defender like Kylan Boswell produces a high floor, but Ivisic and David Mirkovic can get lost when defending in space.
UConn Basketball
The UConn Huskies should be at full strength for the first time this season. Coach Hurley said stud big man Tarris Reed Jr., who missed the last two games, should return, as well as five-star freshman Braylon Mullins. Mullins will add some serious offensive pop to a lineup with plenty of it.
Reed has been terrific for the Huskies, averaging 20.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in three games. He went from a guy who averaged 9.6 points per game the last two years to looking like an All-American candidate.
Why should you believe in UConn going forward? Hurley finally has a point guard. Well, he only didn’t have one for one year, but it showed.
Adding Silas Demary Jr. changed the trajectory of UConn’s season. The Georgia transfer is an excellent decision-maker, averaging 6.3 assists to just 1.5 turnovers per contest. You also can’t discount his defensive presence, as he's done an excellent job containing opposing guards.
Through six games, UConn is shooting just 35% from downtown. It feels like nitpicking, but that’s the only area it can use to improve offensively.
Alex Karaban is shooting the ball well, connecting on 50% from 3. However, Solo Ball has regressed from his strong sophomore year, shooting 25% from deep.
Demary is also an inconsistent shooter — and he’s only taken 10 3s all year. Enter Mullins, who enters college as one of the most decorated shooters in the 2025 class.
On the flip side, I’m sure Coach Hurley is sleeping better this holiday season knowing his defense is better.
On that end, UConn is back to its typical dominance, ranking 13th in defensive efficiency. The Huskies' year-to-year improvement in 3-point defense is one of the best in America, jumping from 35% in 2024-25 to 26% so far this season.
Illinois vs. UConn Betting Analysis
At this stage, I trust UConn more than Illinois, especially on a neutral court.
I feel that some of Illinois' appeal to the analytics is due to it hammering teams in buy games. Beating four teams by 40+ points matters, but it can tell a different story about a team than what the reality is.
I also view UConn as a bit underrated. The loss to Arizona came without Reed, and Mullins will add a different element that it's lacked so far this season.
There's a world where Mullins is the second best scorer on the Huskies' roster — the role Ball was supposed to fill. He's missed a bunch of 3s, so Mullins should help.
I'm riding with the underrated Huskies here.
My Pick: UConn -2.5 (Play to -4)
