Who's Playing

Illinois-Chicago @ Valparaiso

Current Records: Illinois-Chicago 9-10; Valparaiso 7-12

What to Know

The Illinois-Chicago Flames and the Valparaiso Beacons are set to square off in a Missouri Valley matchup at 7 p.m. ET Jan. 17 at Athletics-Recreation Center. Valpo will be strutting in after a win while the Flames will be stumbling in from a loss.

Illinois-Chicago received a tough blow this past Saturday as they fell 81-64 to the Murray State Racers. Guard Toby Okani had a pretty forgettable game, playing for 37 minutes but putting up just six points on 3-for-11 shooting.

Meanwhile, after constant struggles on the road, the Beacons have finally found some success away from home. They came out on top against the Evansville Aces by a score of 76-69 this past Saturday. Four players on Valpo scored in the double digits: guard Kobe King (20), forward Ben Krikke (18), guard Quinton Green (15), and guard Nick Edwards (13).

Illinois-Chicago is expected to lose this next one by 3. Those betting on them against the spread shouldn't have high expectations for them since the team is 3-7 ATS when expected to lose.

Illinois-Chicago came out on top in a nail-biter against the Beacons when the two teams previously met in November of 2021, sneaking past 74-70. Will the Flames repeat their success, or does Valpo have a better game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.

How To Watch

  • When: Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET
  • Where: Athletics-Recreation Center -- Valparaiso, Indiana
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Ticket Cost: $22.05

Odds

The Beacons are a 3-point favorite against the Flames, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 3-point spread, and stayed right there.

Over/Under: -110

See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now.

Series History

Valparaiso have won four out of their last six games against Illinois-Chicago.

  • Nov 13, 2021 - Illinois-Chicago 74 vs. Valparaiso 70
  • Dec 01, 2020 - Illinois-Chicago 66 vs. Valparaiso 50
  • Jan 22, 2017 - Valparaiso 96 vs. Illinois-Chicago 65
  • Dec 30, 2016 - Valparaiso 70 vs. Illinois-Chicago 59
  • Feb 06, 2016 - Valparaiso 73 vs. Illinois-Chicago 55
  • Jan 02, 2016 - Valparaiso 75 vs. Illinois-Chicago 47