The set-up: The 10-9 Illinois Fighting Illini will take on the 9-10 Wisconsin Badgers Friday night at the Kohl Center in Madison. Illinois could use a win here to snap a four-game losing streak and also pick up the team's first conference win, after opening Big Ten play at 0-6. Illinois' poor start is rather surprising, considering the fact that Brad Underwood led the Fighting Illini to a 20-15 season last year, his first at Champaign (the Illini had won just 15 games the season before). Meanwhile, the Badgers' sub-.500 start is 'earth shaking' for Madison fans, as is the team's 2-4 Big Ten record. Wisconsin entered this season having played in 17 straight NCAA tournaments (tied for the fourth-longest active streak with Gonzaga) and its 13 NCAA tourney wins were tied for 2nd-most (with Kentucky), over the last four seasons.

Illinois; Freshman guard Trent Frazier (11.0 & 2.6 APG) has scored 46 total in his last two outings and is averaging 16.8 points while shooting 44.9 percent from behind the arc over the last nine games. Despite not playing more than 23 minutes in any of his last four contests due to foul trouble, 6-7 forward Leron Black has not seen any kind of decline in his team-high scoring (14.4 points) and rebounding (5.7) averages. Guard Aaron Jordan (9.8 PPG) has not been as fortunate, as he was held scoreless for the second time in three games Monday and reached double figures only once in his last seven outings The 6-10 Finke (10.6 & 5.6) is now Illinois' only other double digit scorer.

Wisconsin: The Badgers lost four starters from last year's Sweet 16 team (27 wins) but the 6-10 Ethan Happ was a Preseason All-American. Despite feeling the pressure of carrying the injury-plagued Badgers on offense, he is the only major-conference player averaging at least 16 points (16.7), eight rebounds (8.4) and three assists (3.6) this season.
Guard Brad Davison continues to play through a shoulder injury and ranks second on the team in scoring (11.7), as he attempts to become only the fourth Wisconsin freshman in the last 20 years to average at least 10 points. Sophomore guard Brevin Pritzl (8.7) is coming off a miserable offensive performance (seven points on 2-for-11 from the field), but he averaged 13 points in the four games prior. The Badgers have always relied on defense and this year's team is good (65.6 PPG allowed ranks 41st) but not great. Surely, "not great enough," when the Badgers are scoring only 68.1 PPG, which ranks 309th!

The pick: It's become obvious that Wisconsin's NCAA streak will end here in 2018 but remember that Wisconsin has won 11 straight meetings against Illinois, including six in a row at teh Kohl Center. It's been quite some time since Wisconsin was this small of a home favorite over Illinois (the schools met just once last season and Wisconsin was a 7 1/2-point favorite at Illinois), so lay it. Make Wisconsin a 10* play.