The Texas Tech Red Raiders take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in Champaign, IL. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
Illinois is favored by -3.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -200. The total is set at 163.5 points.
Here’s my Texas Tech vs. Illinois prediction and college basketball picks for November 11, 2025.
Texas Tech vs Illinois Prediction
My Pick: Texas Tech +3.5 (Play to +2)
My Texas Tech vs Illinois best bet is on the Red Raiders 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.
Texas Tech vs. Illinois Odds
| Texas Tech Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -115 | 163.5 -110 / -110 | +165 |
| Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -105 | 163.5 -110 / -110 | -200 |
- Texas Tech vs Illinois spread: Illinois -3.5
- Texas Tech vs Illinois over/under: 163.5 points
- Texas Tech vs Illinois moneyline: Texas Tech +165, Illinois -200
Texas Tech vs Illinois College Basketball Betting Preview
Texas Tech Basketball
I've been all over the Texas Tech bandwagon this offseason, and the Red Raiders began the season with a pair of routine wins over Lindenwood and Sam Houston.
Injuries are also something to watch with Tech. The Red Raiders didn't have starting center Luke Bamgboye in either of the games last week. He's a rim protector and arguably the top shot swatter in college basketball, so he'd be nice to have back.
Very few squads have a better duo than forward JT Toppin and guard Christian Anderson.
Toppin could be a tough matchup for Zvonimir Ivisic, as he's physical, draws a ton of fouls and has a feathery touch around the hoop.
Meanwhile, Anderson has transitioned nicely into the full-time point guard role. He's tallied 18 assists to just three turnovers thus far, and the Illini have only forced turnovers at an 8% clip this season. Anderson could be a real thorn in the side of Illinois.
Similar to Illinois, the Red Raiders want to rise and fire from deep. Their portal plan was to surround Toppin and Anderson with pure snipers. Well, Donovan Atwell is 12-for-24 from deep this year, and Tyeree Bryan is a better shooter than he's shown so far.
What's the difference between these two teams with high 3-point volumes? For one, Tech has a safety blanket in Toppin. A lot of the shots generated from deep come from the attention Toppin draws and from Anderson driving and dishing.
That's not how Illinois gets most of its looks, so it's a bit different.
Illinois Basketball
I'd argue that the most shocking KenPom result is that Illinois is third in his rankings.
The Fighting Illini entered the season as analytical darlings, placing sixth in KenPom's preseason rankings. Back-to-back 40+ point drubbings of Jackson State and Florida Gulf Coast lifted them to third.
Notably, Tomislav Ivisic, arguably Illinois' top player, will be out with an injury. His twin brother, Zvonimir, will start in his place. The one called "Big Z" played well in his brother's place in the win over Florida Gulf Coast, scoring 16 points, while adding nine rebounds and seven blocks.
It's also a clear downgrade from Tomislav.
The Illini want to play fast, ranking 29th in adjusted tempo. They also shoot it very well from deep, connecting on 41% of 3s in two games, with nearly half of their shots coming from downtown.
Making them more dangerous, every single player on Illinois' roster can shoot it. The emergence of freshman Keaton Wagler and forward David Mirkovic is monumental. They each scored 17+ points in their first two games and have lifted the ceiling in Champaign.
However, I'm a bit worried about Illinois having to defend a more athletic team. For all the skill and pure talent on the Illini roster, it's not the most athletic bunch.
We'll see if Ivisic and Mirkovic can handle the more athletic Texas Tech frontline.
Texas Tech vs. Illinois Betting Analysis
Winning in Champaign isn't easy. The fans bring a different kind of intensity to boost their beloved Illini.
I just view Texas Tech as the better team from top to bottom and want to sell high on Illinois here.
Odds are, its value is peaking right now. I can't see the Illini ranking much better than third in KenPom.
So, I'll roll with Texas Tech getting the points. It's hard to bet against a pair of studs in Toppin and Anderson.
My Pick: Texas Tech +3.5 (Play to +2)
