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The Illinois Fighting Illini move to a neutral floor at the United Center, carrying a 4–0 record and one of the nation’s most dominant rebounding margins. Illinois is controlling the glass at a rate discussed frequently in advanced matchup breakdowns such as the Moneyline fundamentals guide and the Winning Margin explainer. Alabama arrives ranked No. 11 after being outrebounded by 24 on live balls during a seven-point loss to Purdue, a margin that underscored structural issues the Crimson Tide have been fighting all month. Illinois leans heavily on freshman forward David Mirkovic, who is averaging 19.5 points and 12.5 rebounds while producing three double-doubles in four games. His 27-point, 21-rebound performance against Colgate placed him among recent Big Ten big-men

The Auburn Tigers return to Neville Arena seeking to stabilize late-game execution and address free-throw inefficiencies after narrowly falling 73–72 to then-No. 1 Houston. Auburn missed 12 free throws in that loss, a margin that proved decisive despite a strong defensive finish and a 20-point performance from Keyshawn Hall before the team’s leading scorer exited with a foot injury. His availability for this matchup remains uncertain, creating rotation and scoring questions for a team averaging 88.8 points. First-year head coach Steven Pearl has relied on balance, with six players averaging at least 10.3 points. Tahaad Pettiford has grown into a reliable creator, producing 12 points per game along with efficient decision-making. Mississippi State transfer KeShawn Murphy brings versatility, while Auburn’s

The unbeaten start for the Penn State Nittany Lions has been driven by pace, spacing, and efficient backcourt scoring. Entering at 4–0 and shooting over 52 percent from the field, Penn State now faces its toughest defensive test of the young season against a Harvard team that has controlled tempo while leading the Ivy League in scoring defense. The Harvard Crimson enter 4–1 with a defensive profile built on discipline, positioning, and containment. Their opponents average just 61.6 points, and three teams have been held under 54. In a schedule featuring back-to-back road wins and a grind-out victory over Marist, Harvard has already shown the poise required to win low-possession games. For Penn State, the identity is clear. Mike Rhoades

Alex Ovechkin is heating up again. He enters Wednesday with goals in back-to-back games and three in his last four. His latest tally was career goal No. 903. He now sits one away from tying Jaromir Jagr for the most game-winners in NHL history. Washington beat Los Angeles 2-1 Monday behind Ovechkin’s milestone and Charlie Lindgren’s 30 saves. The Capitals still have only three wins in their last 11, but Spencer Carbery sees momentum building. The offense has improved and Ovechkin has eight points in his last seven. Edmonton arrives in need of a reset. The Oilers lost 5-1 in Buffalo and fell to 2-2-0 on their seven-game road trip. Jack Roslovic has been a bright spot with a five-game