Chattanooga vs Illinois Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds, Picks & Predictions
Illini Look to Atone for Early Exit in NCAAs Last Year
Illinois Regrouping After Early Big Ten Exit
The Illinois Fighting Illini were a No. 1 seed last year in the NCAA Tournament. They were not expected to be nearly as good this season, but they certainly made a strong run.
Illinois won a share of the Big Ten regular-season championship, splitting the title with Wisconsin. That’s a lot more than anyone expected.
Now the Fighting Illini try to show everyone how good they are in a tricky NCAA Tournament game versus Chattanooga. Let’s take a look at the March Madness odds and see what’s the best option for college basketball picks here.
Let’s check the latest news, stats, injury reports, and March Madness Odds for Chattanooga vs Illinois. We’ve plenty of predictions for you to consider.
Chattanooga on Target for More March Madness Memories
The beauty of March college basketball lies not just in the NCAA Tournament, but in the journey to get there.
There was arguably no better conference tournament championship game than the one Chattanooga played in the Southern Conference final against the Furman Paladins.
Chattanooga and Furman traded baskets in a memorable display, with the Mocs’ David Jean-Baptiste going up against Furman star Mike Bothwell in a one-on-one battle royale.
How good was the Furman-Chattanooga title game? Here’s how: Furman did not miss a single field goal attempt in the overtime period … and it still lost.
That’s extraordinary. Chattanooga was able to keep pace with Furman despite the Paladins’ red-hot offense. Chattanooga was able to ride Jean-Baptiste’s hot hand to victory, with the winning shot coming from 35 feet out.
Two defenders were right there, but Jean-Baptiste was able to shoot over their extended arms and swish the ball through the basket for an extraordinary play that lifted Chattanooga into the NCAA Tournament.
After a moment like that, one should expect the Mocs to play very freely and without worry in this game. They are playing with house money.
Illinois: Jekyll-and-Hyde Personality
The Fighting Illini, without Ayo Dosunmu (now in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls), figured to take a significant step back this season.
It’s true that Illinois is a No. 4 seed and not a No. 1 seed, so in that sense, Illinois has taken several steps back. However, this is a dangerous team that, if it gets hot, can make a deep March run.
Winning a share of the Big Ten title is far more than most pundits expected. Illinois did, however, lose to Indiana in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals, a reminder of the volatility of this team.
Illinois needs the best version of point guard Andre Curbelo to show up. When Curbelo is locked in, Illinois very rarely loses. The Illini rely on 7-foot center and leading scorer Kofi Cockburn, named a first-team All-American on Tuesday.
Chattanooga vs Illinois Head-to-Head
This is the third time the two schools have met. Chattanooga leads the series 2-0, the last meeting being in 2015. The first meeting between these schools was in the NCAA Tournament in 1997.
The 14th-seeded Mocs defeated sixth-seeded Illinois to reach the Sweet 16. No team seeded lower than Chattanooga made the Sweet 16 until 2013, when 15th-seeded Florida Gulf Coas went that far in the NCAA Tournament.
Chattanooga vs Illinois Game Information
- Game: Chattanooga Mocs (27-7) vs Illinois Fighting Illini (22-9)
- Location: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
- Day/Time: Friday, 6:50 p.m. ET
- Streaming: TBS.com
- 2022 March Madness bracket
Chattanooga vs Illinois Betting Lines
Chattanooga vs Illinois Prediction
The Illini are giving several points in this game in terms of the NCAA odds. Given how well Jean-Baptiste is playing for Chattanooga, the Mocs can probably keep this game close and ultimately cover the spread in the sportsbook.
Pick: Chattanooga Mocs +7½
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