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Alabama (2-1) vs Illinois (4-0)
- When: Nov 19 2025, 9:00 PM
- Where: United Center, Chicago, IL, USA
- Where to watch: Fox Sports 1
(11) Alabama vs (8) Illinois Preview & Prediction
Spread: Illinois -3.5
Moneyline: Illinois (-179)
Total: 183.5
Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Outlook
Alabama arrives in Chicago licking its wounds after getting mauled on the glass by Purdue. When you get outrebounded by twenty four on live balls, it tends to ruin your evening, and Nate Oats did not bother sugarcoating it. He called the effort embarrassing, and honestly, he was being polite.
Alabama has known for weeks that rebounding was becoming a problem. It showed in exhibitions, it showed in scrimmages, and it finally hit them like a freight train at home. The Crimson Tide can score with anyone, but failing to finish defensive possessions is playing with fire, especially against elite teams.
What Alabama can hang its hat on is guard play. This backcourt is absolutely loaded. Aden Holloway is torching nets, LaBaron Philon is stuffing box scores, and Wrightsell Jr. and Mallette give Alabama enough firepower to run with anyone in the country. If the Tide are going to steal one on the road, it will be because their guards turn this into a perimeter track meet.
Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Outlook
Illinois, meanwhile, looks like the team Oats is begging his players to become. They opened the week ranked second nationally in rebound margin, bullying opponents with physicality that should come with its own warning label.
The anchor of that dominance is David Mirkovic, a freshman who apparently missed the memo that college basketball is supposed to be hard. He posted twenty seven and twenty one against Colgate and already has three double doubles in four games. After being chewed out for a four rebound night earlier in the month, he responded by playing like someone auditioning for the Chicago Bulls front office directly.
Illinois also brings a tough backcourt of its own. Kylan Boswell has stepped into a major scoring role, and Keaton Wagler has been fearless attacking the paint while filling in for the injured Mihailo Petrovic. Illinois is physical, disciplined, and plays with a competitive edge that mirrors Brad Underwood’s personality.
Expert Final Score Prediction
If Alabama cannot control the boards, this becomes an uphill climb in a hurry. The Tide backcourt is explosive enough to keep them alive, but Illinois has the balance, toughness and interior presence to dictate pace and wear them down.
Expect Alabama to put up points, but Illinois’ physicality and depth give them the edge late.
Final Score: Illinois 96, Alabama 89
Lean: Illinois -3.5
Total: Over 183.5
- NCAAB Odds source: MyBookie Sportsbook
