FAU looks to flex its Mid-Major power as it faces Illinois. It is time to continue our College Basketball odds series with an FAU-Illinois prediction, pick, and how to watch.

FAU heads into this game at the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Gardens sitting 11th in the nation, and 7-1 on the year. After starting 2-0, they were upset by Bryant. In that game, Bryant took the lead with 17:01 in the second half, and never looked back, slowing down this FAU offense on their way to a 61-52 win. Since then, FAU has been dominant. They have beaten Butler and Texas A&M while winning their last three games by 15 or more points in each of them.

Meanwhile, Illinois enters the game at 6-1, ranked 20th in the nation. Like FIU, they started 2-0 before facing a top-five ranked Marquette squad. That game was back and forth early, with multiple lead changes. The game was tied with 11:07 left, but a four-minute scoreless streak for Illinois allowed Marquette to take a lead they would hold onto, as they won 71-64.

Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Basketball Odds: FAU-Illinois Odds

FAU: -2.5 (-110)

Illinois: +2.5 (-110)

Over: 147.5 (-110)

Under: 147.5 (-110)

How to Watch FAU vs. Illinois 

Time: 6:30 PM ET/ 3:30 PM PT

TV: ESPN

Stream: FuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why FAU Will Cover The Spread

Florida Atlantic enters the game ranked 14th in adjusted efficiency according to KenPom. They have been highly effecient on offense this year, sitting seventh in the nation in adjusted effects, while sitting 37th on defense. On offense, they are led by Vladislav Goldin. He comes into the game with 15.4 points per game, while shooting great. He is shooting at a 75.4 percent rate from the field this year. His only game where he did not score more than ten points was against Bryant, and it is also the only game this year he has shot below 60 percent from the field. Goldin is a major reason FAU scores nearly 60 percent of their points inside the three-point arc.

He is also the team leader in rebounds this year. He comes in with 7.1 per game. Following him in the rebounding department is Johnell Davis. He averaged 6.8 rebounds per game, while also adding 13.6 points per game. Davis and Alijah Martin are the bigger three-point threats. This year, Davis is shooting 44.8 percent from behind the arc. Davis has been over. 20 points in two of his last four games as well.

Meanwhile, Martin comes into the game averaging 13.5 points per game, while shooting 35.8 percent from behind the arc. He is over 15 points in three of his last four games but is not shooting exceptionally overall this year. While he is over 35 percent behind the arc, he shoots just 39 percent on the season overall.

Why Illinois Will Cover The Spread

Illinois comes in ranked 16th in adjusted efficiency according to KenPom. They are 53rd on offense, but sit eighth on defense. The offense is run through Terrence Shannon Jr. The guard is shooting 51.1 percent this year, while also hitting 45.8 percent of his three-point attempts. He is averaging 20.0 points per game on the season and has been great as of late. He has been over 20 points in four of his last five games, with the other game sitting at just 19 points. Still, he has had some turnover issues this year. He had five in the loss to Marquette, and five last game as well.

There are not a lot of scoring threats beyond Shannon this year. Dian Dainja comes in second on the team, with just 9.4 points per game. While he is shooting 66 percent on the year, forcing him to drive and fouling him is not a bad option. From the free throw line, he is shooting just 26.7 percent this year. Meanwhile, Marcus Domask is averaging 91 points per game, but his shooting has been rough this year. He is shooting just 38.1 percent this year from the floor.

The best part of this team is the defense. They are allowing just 58.6 points per game, which ranks them seventh in the nation. They steal the ball 4.1 times per game, led by Shannon who is averaging 1.3 steals per game. they have also been solid on the boards this year. Illinois averaged 49.3 rebounds per game this year, led by Quincy Guerrier and Coleman Hawkins. Guerrier comes into the game averaging 7.6 rebounds per game, while Hawkins comes in with 6.8 per game.

Final FAU-Illinois Prediction & Pick

This game is a clash of styles. FAU wants to push up the floor and score a ton of points. Illinois likes to play stout defense and stifle the opponents. FAU is conceding 97.2 points per 100 possessions this year. By contrast, Illinois is eighth in the nation giving up just 91.6 points per 100 possessions. Illinois is also the top-ranked team in rebounds per game, which will be the deciding factor in this game. If FAU does not shoot wonderfully, the rebounding difference is going to pile up, and Illinois will take the win.

Final FAU-Illinois Prediction & Pick: Illinois +2.5 (-110)