Murray State vs Illinois State Prediction, Picks & Odds | 18 Feb 2026

College Basketball Betting Preview: Murray State vs Illinois State

The Murray State Racers battle the Illinois State Redbirds, with tip-off scheduled for 21:00 on Wednesday, February 18.

Our best wager is that Illinois State are going to cover a generous -2.5 on the spread. You can get -120 that there’s a bigger margin of victory against Murray State.

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Murray State Racers lost their previous game, being beaten at home to Belmont Bruins 87-70.

Illinois State Redbirds suffered a defeat in their last game. A 83-56 scoreline occurred on the road against UIC Flames.

Head-to-Head Statistics

Illinois State beat Murray State when the teams last met. It was a 70-65 scoreline. Illinois State have triumphed in their previous four matchups against Murray State. On the head-to-head front, it has been 4 wins out of 8.

NCAAB	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Murray State	19-9	2361	2226	135	13-3	6-6	1L
Illinois State	17-10	2062	1838	224	13-3	4-7	1L

View Full Standings

Murray State vs Illinois State Prediction & Picks

Our Murray State vs Illinois State betting tips provide expert coverage of all major angles, including our main match prediction, correct score recommendation and best bet builder insights.

Game Prediction

There’s a strong case for backing Illinois State on the spread in this college contest. The line looks really appealing considering you can get -120 when it comes to the favorites at -2.5.

We track all injuries that could impact each team before making our basketball picks. The form guide and latest stats also help the Sportsgambler.com team crunch the numbers ahead of the college hoops action.

Key Murray State vs Illinois State stats:

• The -2.5 line has been covered by Illinois State in 4 of their last 5 games at home.
• The -2.5 line has been covered by Illinois State in 16 of their last 20 games at home.
• The -2.5 line has been covered by Illinois State in 2 consecutive games at home.
• The +2.5 line hasn’t been covered by Murray State in 6 of their last 10 games.
• The +2.5 line hasn’t been covered by Murray State in 3 of their last 5 games on the road.
• The -2.5 line has been covered by Illinois State in 2 consecutive games against Murray State.

Illinois State -2.5 Probability

The best sportsbooks are estimating that there is a 54.6% likelihood of this pick delivering a return. However, our analysts think that the probability is close to 60% taking all factors into consideration. That means we’re regarding it as a value bet.

Those wanting an alternative to the point spread can consider Winning Margin where there are several options. Take a view on Illinois State and their performance.

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Our Game Prediction

Illinois State -2.5 @ -120 Bet Now

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Correct Score Prediction

Murray State 72 - 78 Illinois State

There’s lots of entertainment when it comes to a correct score wager. A play on Illinois State to achieve a 78-72 victory should give bettors a good run for their money.

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Murray State vs Illinois State 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.

With the sportsbooks giving them a 63% probability of winning this college game, Illinois State might be a popular parlay pick. That is reflected in their -172 Moneyline betting odds. Murray State are regarded as a long shot to win and you can currently back them at +142.

The spread is calculated to be 2.5, while total points comes in at 156.5. A Total bet is always available and can often provide value selections. If you’re going for Under 156.5, this outcome can be backed at -110.

You can find a nice selection of game lines and team props for most college basketball matchups, with the top betting apps creating many different options. Check out the pre-game and in-game selections before placing your bets.

Moneyline

Murray State

+142

Illinois State

-172

Point Spread

Murray State +2.5

-102

Illinois State -2.5

-120

Total Points

Under 156.5

-110

Over 156.5

-110

The gambling sites will have player props available for each game. Check out the various betting odds and take a view on whether a player’s Total Points, Three-Pointers, Blocks or Steals will hit over or under a certain line.

You don’t have to wait for the final outcome when it comes to college basketball micro betting. Instead, there’s the opportunity to wager on live lines which tend to be settled in a shorter space of time and the in-game odds are always changing.

Latest regular season and playoff games stats.

Murray State Stats

Illinois State Stats

Moneyline

• 4 wins and 6 defeats in the last 10 games
• 6 wins and 4 defeats in the last 10 games on the road

Moneyline

• 5 wins and 5 defeats in the last 10 games
• 7 wins and 3 defeats in the last 10 home games

Point Spread

• +2.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 4 of the last 10 games
• +2.5 Betting Line on the Road: Have covered the spread in 6 of the last 10 games on the road

Point Spread

• -2.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 5 of the last 10 games
• -2.5 Betting Line at Home: Have covered the spread in 7 of the last 10 home games

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 161.70 pts in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals on the Road: An average of 167.30 pts in the previous 10 games on the road
• Over 155.5: Covered in 6 of the previous 10 games
• Over 155.5 on the Road: Covered in 7 of the previous 10 games on the road
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 77.80 pts and allowed 83.90 pts in the last 10 games
• Team Totals on the Road: Have scored an average of 83.70 pts and allowed 83.60 pts in the last 10 games on the road

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 145.30 pts in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals at Home: An average of 138.00 pts in the previous 10 home games
• Over 155.5: Covered in 3 of the previous 10 games
• Over 155.5 at Home: Covered in 2 of the previous 10 home games
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 73.30 pts and allowed 72.00 pts in the last 10 games
• Team Totals at Home: Have scored an average of 75.90 pts and allowed 62.10 pts in the last 10 home games

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

Missouri Valley	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Belmont	24-4	2346	2032	314	13-2	11-2	2W
Murray State	19-9	2361	2226	135	13-3	6-6	1L
Bradley	18-9	2082	1955	127	14-3	4-6	2W
Illinois State	17-10	2062	1838	224	13-3	4-7	1L
Northern Iowa	17-10	1866	1652	214	12-3	5-7	1W
UIC	15-12	2027	1883	144	9-5	6-7	2W
Valparaiso	13-13	1828	1858	-30	10-4	3-9	1W
Southern Illinois	12-15	2001	1919	82	7-7	5-8	1L
Drake	12-16	2149	2115	34	7-10	5-6	6L
Indiana State	10-17	2028	2023	5	7-6	3-11	3L
Evansville	6-20	1752	1949	-197	4-10	2-10	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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