Illinois vs USC Prediction, Picks & Odds | 18 Feb 2026

College Basketball Betting Preview: Illinois vs USC

The Illinois Fighting Illini battle the USC Trojans, with tip-off scheduled for 22:00 on Wednesday, February 18.

The best betting angle could be Illinois on the spread. You can land odds of -105 that the favorites are able to cover the -9.5 line and they’re more than capable in their clash against USC.

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Illinois Fighting Illini won their previous game which was at home. It was a 71-51 triumph against Indiana Hoosiers.

USC Trojans were beaten last game and this was on the road. Ohio State Buckeyes claimed a 89-82 win.

Head-to-Head Statistics

USC beat Illini when the teams last met. It was a 82-72 scoreline.

NCAAB	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Illinois	21-5	2189	1773	416	14-4	7-1	1W
USC	18-7	2032	1896	136	11-3	7-4	1L

View Full Standings

Illinois vs USC Prediction & Picks

Our Illinois vs USC tips include the main match prediction, a correct score forecast and bet builder picks. Each section below offers expert insight into the key betting angles.

Game Prediction

We expect the favorites to cover the -9.5 line on the spread. This is a great number and that’s why we’re playing Illinois at -105 for this college matchup.

Incoming team news often impacts the betting lines and odds in significant ways. Our college hoops handicappers factor this in alongside recent form, while key stats are also carefully weighed to strengthen each basketball pick.

Key Illinois vs USC stats:

• The -9.5 line has been covered by Illinois in 5 of their last 10 games.

Illini -9.5 Probability

Looking at the latest betting odds, our pick has a 51.3% chance of winning. After careful examination, our analysts calculate this probability to be closer to 60%. It’s why we think it’s worth placing this college basketball wager.

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Our Game Prediction

Illinois -9.5 @ -105 Bet Now

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Correct Score Prediction

Illinois 81 - 68 USC

Should you want to go for a selection at massive odds, head to the correct score lines where the Illini can be backed speculatively to achieve a 81-68 victory.

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Illinois vs USC Odds

The odds and lines below are updated regularly and may differ from the prices shown in our picks, which are captured at the time of publication.

At betting odds of -526 with the sportsbooks, Illinois are regarded as 84% likely to win this college game. For those wanting to oppose the market leader, you can get +385 about USC.

The spread is 9.5 and the total points line is currently 152.5. Basketball fans regularly enjoy the opportunity to bet on the Totals. If you’re going for Under 152.5, this outcome can be backed at -110.

If you’re planning to place a bet on a college basketball contest, visit the best sportsbooks and check out the wide range of team props and game lines. Find the lines which are the most attractive.

Moneyline

Illinois

-526

USC

+385

Point Spread

Illinois -9.5

-105

USC +9.5

-115

Total Points

Under 152.5

-110

Over 152.5

-110

Should you be more interested in a specific individual who is competing, check out the gambling sites’ prop bets where you can pick out player lines that focus on performance rather than the game result.

Micro betting is something that’s really popular with bettors, with college basketball fans essentially being able to wager in-game when it comes to score, player and team props. Check out the two-way lines where you can bet whether the next shot will be a Two-pointer or a Three-pointer.

Latest regular season and playoff games stats.

Illinois Stats

USC Stats

Moneyline

• 8 wins and 2 defeats in the last 10 games
• 7 wins and 3 defeats in the last 10 games on the road

Moneyline

• 6 wins and 4 defeats in the last 10 games
• 7 wins and 3 defeats in the last 10 home games

Point Spread

• -9.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 5 of the last 10 games
• -9.5 Betting Line on the Road: Have covered the spread in 2 of the last 10 games on the road

Point Spread

• +9.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in the last 10 games
• +9.5 Betting Line at Home: Have covered the spread in the last 10 home games

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 150.70 pts in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals on the Road: An average of 153.00 pts in the previous 10 games on the road
• Over 152.5: Covered in 4 of the previous 10 games
• Over 152.5 on the Road: Covered in 5 of the previous 10 games on the road
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 81.30 pts and allowed 69.40 pts in the last 10 games
• Team Totals on the Road: Have scored an average of 77.80 pts and allowed 75.20 pts in the last 10 games on the road

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 149.40 pts in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals at Home: An average of 152.80 pts in the previous 10 home games
• Over 152.5: Covered in 4 of the previous 10 games
• Over 152.5 at Home: Covered in 7 of the previous 10 home games
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 75.30 pts and allowed 74.10 pts in the last 10 games
• Team Totals at Home: Have scored an average of 80.50 pts and allowed 72.30 pts in the last 10 home games

NCAAB Table Select Season 2025/20262024/20252023/20242022/20232021/20222020/20212019/2020

Big Ten	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Michigan	25-1	2356	1788	568	15-1	10-0	11W
Nebraska	22-4	2036	1706	330	16-2	6-2	1L
Illinois	21-5	2189	1773	416	14-4	7-1	1W
Purdue	21-5	2146	1806	340	14-3	7-2	1L
Michigan State	21-5	2052	1726	326	15-2	6-3	1W
Iowa	19-7	1981	1674	307	15-2	4-5	1W
USC	18-7	2032	1896	136	11-3	7-4	1L
Wisconsin	18-8	2161	1976	185	13-2	5-6	1L
UCLA	17-9	2007	1844	163	14-2	3-7	2L
Ohio State	17-9	2110	1908	202	12-5	5-4	1W
Indiana	17-9	2089	1855	234	14-3	3-6	1L
Washington	13-13	1998	1883	115	9-5	4-8	1W
Minnesota	12-14	1835	1767	68	10-7	2-7	1W
Penn State	11-15	1961	2054	-93	9-8	2-7	1L
Rutgers	10-15	1750	1891	-141	10-6	0-9	1W
Maryland	10-15	1785	1955	-170	8-6	2-9	1L
Northwestern	10-16	1924	1898	26	8-8	2-8	5L
Oregon	9-17	1850	1933	-83	8-9	1-8	1L

• Overall = Overall Wins-Losses
• PF = Total Points For
• PA = Total Points Against
• N. Pts = Point Differential
• Home = Home Record
• Away = Away Record
• Strk = Current Streak

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