The Illinois State Redbirds will take on the UIC Flames at the Credit Union 1 Arena in the NCAA on Wednesday (December 28).
The Redbirds are off to a 6-7 start to the 2022-23 NCAA Basketball season. They're seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference and are coming off a 66-52 win against the Chicago State Cougars (66-52) in their previous outing.
Meanwhile, the Flames have made an impressive 8-5 start to the season and are tenth in the same conference. They're coming off a 92-54 defeat against the Northwestern Wildcats in their last game.
Bet $5+ on any sport pre-game ML, Get $150 If Your Bet Wins With DraftKings Sportsbook
Illinois State Redbirds vs UIC Flames: Betting Odds
The Redbirds have struggled in their opening 13 games of the season, with only six wins and seven losses. Their most impressive wins have come against the Eastern Illinois Panthers (54-49), Northwestern State Demons (69-67), and Belmont Bruins (87-77). They now have a tough task away from home.
The team has been poor in terms of scoring, averaging only 67.8 points per game, which ranks 295th in the nation, while conceding 69.5 points per outing, which ranks 207th in the country.
The Flames, meanwhile, have eight wins and five losses this season. The losses have come against the Loyola Ramblers (70-63), Fordham Rams (79-65), Missouri State Bears (66-51), Drake Bulldogs (77-64), and Northwestern Wildcats (92-54).
The team has been below par on offense, averaging 69.5 points per game, which ranks 244th, while conceding 67.9 points per outing.
Illinois State Redbirds vs UIC Flames: Match Details
Fixture: Illinois State Redbirds @ UIC Flames
Date & Time: Wednesday, December 28; 08:00 pm ET
Venue: Credit Union 1 Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Ilinois State Redbirds vs UIC Flames: Prediction
The Flames are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games after an against-the-spread loss. They're 5-0 against the spread in their last five games after a straight loss and 8-0 against the spread in their last eight games against a team with a losing record.
Illinois, meanwhile, has a big 8-1 record against UIC in their last nine meetings. However, on current form, UIC has a slight advantage, with the statistics being mostly similar. Expect a close contest.