Who's Playing

Monmouth @ No. 23 Illinois

Current Records: Monmouth 0-2; Illinois 2-0

What to Know

The Monmouth Hawks' road trip will continue as they head to State Farm Center at 9 p.m. ET Monday to face off against the #23 Illinois Fighting Illini. Illinois should still be feeling good after a win, while the Hawks will be looking to get back in the win column.

Monmouth took a serious blow against the Virginia Cavaliers this past Friday, falling 89-42.

Meanwhile, the sound you heard this past Friday was the absolute smackdown Illinois laid on the UMKC Kangaroos. Four players on Illinois scored in the double digits: forward Dain Dainja (20), guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (14), guard Jayden Epps (13), and guard Skyy Clark (10). Skyy Clark's performance made up for a slower game against the Eastern Illinois Panthers last Monday.

Monmouth is the clear underdog, so they're hoping it's the size of the fight that determines this one. Those betting on them against the spread shouldn't have high expectations for them since the squad is 0-2 ATS when expected to lose.

The Hawks are now 0-2 while the Fighting Illini sit at a mirror-image 2-0. A pair of last-season stats to keep an eye on: Monmouth is stumbling into the matchup with the 360th fewest points per game in college basketball, having accrued only 68.6 on average. But Illinois ranks 25th in college basketball when it comes to points allowed per game, with only 67.2 on average. So the cards are definitely stacked in their favor.

How To Watch

  • When: Monday at 9 p.m. ET
  • Where: State Farm Center -- Champaign, Illinois
  • TV: BTN Plus
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Ticket Cost: $3.00

Odds

The Fighting Illini are a big 24.5-point favorite against the Hawks, 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 24.5-point spread, and stayed right there.

Over/Under: -110

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Series History

This is the first time these teams have played each other within the last seven years.