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The Illinois Fighting Illini have made their way north for a showdown tonight in Madison, Wisconsin with the Badgers. The two schools will mix things up starting at 9:00pm ET at the Kohl Center; the Big 10 contest will be televised live on ESPN. Illinois vs Wisconsin college basketball picks at SBGglobal.com have the Illini listed as a +3.5 road underdog.

Wisconsin looked like they would be in the thick of the Big 10 race earlier in the season, but their recent lackluster run has relegated them to ninth place in the eleven team conference. The Badgers have lost six straight games and now sport a 12-9 overall record with a 3-6 conference mark. Bo Ryan's team, which is 8-4 at home, has dropped their last two games at the Kohl Center by a combined 5 points.

The Badgers fell in their last game, on the road, against Northwestern (a team they beat 74-45 earlier this season) on January 31st. The Wildcats shot lights out against the Wisconsin defense, nailing 57 percent from the field and an amazing 61 percent (8-of-13) from three point range.

The twenty-third ranked Illini have hit a slight rough patch as well, losing two of their last five games. They still, however, occupy second place in the Big 10 standings, sitting on a 6-3 conference record and an 18-4 overall count.

Bruce Weber's team has fared far better at home this season, going 13-1 at Assembly Hall as opposed to 2-3 on the road. Illinois has dropped their last three conference away games, losing at Michigan, Michigan State, and Minnesota by an average of 13 points per game. Nevertheless, they did pull out a win in their most recent outing, beating the dismal Iowa Hawkeyes by a score of 62-54 on February 1st.

The Illini, who are holding teams to an average of 56.6 points per game, will need their defense to show up big if they are to garner a coveted road win in what has traditionally been a tough place for visitors.

SBGglobal.com's Illinois vs Wisconsin College Basketball Picks:

Illinois Fighting Illini +3.5 (-110), Over 119.5, +145 (Moneyline)

Wisconsin Badgers -3.5 (-110), Under 119.5 (-110), -165 (Moneyline)

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