:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63163331/usa_today_12060545.0.jpg)
Northwestern heads downstate for its final road matchup of the year, a Sunday evening tilt with Illinois at the State Farm Center.
A lot has changed since a 10-5 NU team topped a 4-11 Illini squad 68-66 on Jan. 6. Five Wildcats scored in double figures in that game, and Illinois missed all 11 of their three-point attempts. NU is 2-11 since that date. Illinois is 6-7, with wins over Maryland, Michigan State, and Ohio State. The Illini reached a nadir of 113th in the KenPom rankings after their loss to NU back in January. Two months later, they’re 64th, despite a 10-18 record.
Freshmen Ayo Dosunmu and Giorgi Bezhanishvili combine for 26 points a contest, and sophomore Trent Frazier adds 14.1 more, making Illinois one of the conference’s more exciting young teams.
Gameday Information
Tipoff: 5:30 p.m. CT
TV: BTN
Radio: WGN 720 AM
Online: BTN2Go.com
Betting line: Illinois -5, O/U 137