Well, this may come back to bite me and I'll parlay this with another game to bring this number down -- other game TBA -- but news just broke that Ohio State star EJ Liddell (19.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.8 apg) is questionable as he's been dealing with the flu for several days. Do I think he plays? Probably, but the Nuts aren't winning at Illinois without a 100 percent Liddell, and if he doesn't play this ML is skyrocketing.

Ohio State may be winded playing its third game in five days, but I don't think they are going to no-show against an Illinois team it has plenty of recent history against. The two teams split the regular season series last year, each winning on the road, and then played an overtime classic in the Big Ten conference tournament final (Illinois won 91-88). The Kofi Cockburn vs. EJ Liddell showdown seems destined to be a close game late, and I like the fact that the Buckeyes have been beating the number recently going 7-2 ATS in their last nine games.