The 10th-ranked Michigan State Spartans will battle the No. 24 Illinois Fighting Illini for the top spot in the Big Ten Conference on Tuesday night. The Spartans (15-3, 6-1) have won 10 of 11, while the Fighting Illini (13-5, 6-2) are 6-2 in their past eight games. Tipoff from State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill., is set for 7 p.m. ET. Illinois is favored by 4.5 points at Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points is set at 142 (see up-to-date odds for every game this week on our college basketball odds page).

Before making any Michigan State vs. Illinois picks, you NEED to check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 12 of the season with a 49-36 record on all top-rated college basketball picks, returning almost $700. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of $2,800 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen HUGE returns.

The model knows the Fighting Illini are led by junior center Kofi Cockburn, who is questionable for this matchup (concussion). Cockburn is in the top 10 nationally in both points and rebounds, ranking 10th in scoring at 21.1 points per game and third in rebound at 11.8. He is the only player in the nation averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, and is the sixth high-major conference player since 1993 to average 21 or more points and 11 or more rebounds. The last Illinois player to average 20 points and 10 rebounds in a season was Nick Weatherspoon in 1973 with 25 points and 12.3 rebounds. Cockburn has 39 career double-doubles.

The model also knows the Spartans are led by senior forward Gabe Brown, who is averaging 13.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. The co-captain scored a career-high 24 points in a win over High Point, and has scored in double figures in 16 of 18 games. He also scored 20 points in the 73-67 win at Northwestern on Jan. 2. He is second in the league in free throw percentage at 95 percent, and is ninth in the league in 3-pointers made in Big Ten games at 2.14 per game.

Now, it has set its sights on Michigan State vs. Illinois. It is leaning Over on the total and it also says one side of the spread hits almost 60 percent of the time! You ABSOLUTELY need to see it before locking in any college basketball picks.

Who wins Michigan State vs. Illinois? And which side of the spread hits almost 60 percent of the time? ... Join SportsLine right now to find out which side of the Michigan State vs. Illinois spread you should be all over Tuesday, all from the model on a roll on college basketball picks!