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The third-ranked Michigan Wolverines will try to avoid another speed bump on Friday night when they visit Champaign to take on the No. 10 Illinois Fighting Illini in a Big Ten showdown. The Wolverines (26-2, 16-1) bounced back from their 68-63 loss to Duke last weekend by beating Minnesota 77-67 on Tuesday. The Illini (22-6, 13-4) have lost three of their past six games, but all three setbacks came in overtime, including a 95-94 loss at UCLA last Saturday.

Tip-off at the State Farm Center is set for 8 p.m. ET on Friday. The Wolverines are 1.5-point road favorites and are priced at -142 on the money line. Illinois is a +119 money-line underdog in the Michigan vs. Ilinois odds, and the Over/Under for total points scored is 157.5. 

We're taking a look at the best bets for Michigan vs. Illinois on Friday, with odds from DraftKings Sportsbook and recommendations from the SportsLine Projection Model. The model simulates every college basketball game 10,000 times and entered Week 17 on a sizzling 11-1 run on its top-rated Over/Under college basketball picks dating back to last season. It is also on a 20-11 run on top-rated CBB side picks. Anyone following its college basketball betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns.

Bet on Michigan vs. Ilinois at DraftKings, where new users get $200 if their first bet of $5+ wins:

Michigan vs. Illinois model picks for Feb. 27

Illinois +1.5

The Illini have lost three games since mid-December, and each went to overtime and the losses were by a combined six points. They also have beaten two teams that were ranked in the top five at the time they played -- Purdue and Nebraska -- and have won nine in a row against the Wolverines. Illinois is 17-11 against the spread this season, while UM is 13-14 ATS. The SportsLine Projection Model has the Illini covering the spread in 75% of its simulations, good for a "B" grade.     

Illinois money line

The Illini are 13-2 at home this season, and Michigan has one home loss and one on a neutral court. These are the top two scoring teams in the Big Ten, with Michigan averaging 89 points and Illinois averaging 85. They are fifth and sixth in defense, with the Wolverines allowing 68.7 points and the Illini 69, so it is an even matchup. Illinois has the size to slow UM down, and with the crowd on its side, the model is leaning heavily toward the hosts, with Illinois winning outright 72% of the time for another "B" grade.

Under 158.5

As noted, these are the two best offenses in the conference, but they're also strong on the defensive end, so the model has only a slight lean on the total. The Under is hitting 51.3% of the time, so this is the model's weakest play for Michigan vs. Illinois. The Wolverines are 11-17 to the Over and Illinois is 12-16 O/U but has gone Over in four of its past five. Opponents are shooting 37.7% against Michigan, second-lowest in the nation, and Illinois foes shoot under 41%, fourth in the conference.