Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Purdue Boilermakers
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The Illinois Fighting Illini (17-9, 10-15 ATS) is the one Big Ten team that is sitting squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble. They’ll have a chance to impress the Selection Committee on Saturday afternoon at Mackey Arena when they take on the Purdue Boilermakers (22-3, 12-12-1 ATS). Illinois was one of the hottest teams in the country until it ran into the equally hot Buckeyes last weekend and lost 72-53. That same Ohio State team hosted these Boilermakers on Wednesday night and was beaten 60-57. If the Illini can capture a victory in this one, the top teams in the Big Ten will be separated by just a game and a half.

If Illinois is going to spring the upset and make a run towards March Madness, G Demetri McCamey is going to have to be the man to step up. McCamey leads the team in scoring (15.6 points per game) and assists (6.5 per game). He is one of four scorers on this team that are averaging double digits in terms of points per game. Offensive consistency has to be a theme for HC Bruce Weber. His squad has scored more than 70 points four times in its L/8 games, but it has also scored under 60 in three of its L/10.

The Boilermakers continue to ride their big three scorers as they have all season long. G E’Twaun Moore still leads Purdue in scoring at 17.0 points per game, but Fs JaJuan Johnson and Robbie Hummel are both at 15.6 per game. No one else on the team is averaging even six points. In this eight-game winning streak, the defense has come up in a huge way. Six of those eight foes have been held under 65 points, including allowing a total of just 97 points in wins over the L/7 days against Ohio State and Iowa.

Purdue has already knocked off Illinois once this season, winning 84-78 on the road. The Boilers are a solid 9-4-1 ATS in the L/14 clashes with their rivals from Illinois, and are 5-2-1 ATS in their L/8 games against the Illini at Mackey Arena. Illinois has won the L/2 outright though with a pair of OT wins as underdogs.

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