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UConn vs Illinois Elite 8 March Madness Betting Stats
When the Vegas March Madness odds came out, UConn was at or near the top as it is making a run for its second straight national title. The Huskies look to take the next big step toward that goal when they take on Illinois in the East Region final on Saturday night in Boston, with the winner of the contest advancing to next weekend’s Final Four.
UConn (34-3) has been dominant as the top seed in the region, including a 30-point rout of fifth-seeded San Diego State in the regional semis on Thursday night. Third-seeded Illinois (29-8) had a bit harder time in its regional semifinal contest with second-seeded Iowa State, winning by three points to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2005. The NCAAB odds are heavily favoring the Huskies in this one, but let’s take a closer look to help with your wagering.
Game Information
- Game: UConn (34-3) vs Illinois (29-8)
- Date/Time: Saturday, March 30, 6:09 p.m. ET
- Location: TD Garden, Boston, Mass.
- UConn vs Illinois Live Stream: TBS.com
These two teams have met three previous times on the hardwood, though the most recent was in December 1994. UConn holds a 2-1 edge in the series, with the Illini’s only win coming back in December 1938. The NCAA basketball odds have the Huskies giving 8½ points, with the over/under set at 155 points.
UConn vs Illinois Odds and Spreads
Betting Trends
- UConn is 8-2 ATS over its last 10 contests.
- The Illini are 5-0 ATS in their last five games.
- The over is 5-1 in Illinois’ last six contests.
- Illinois is 4-3 as an underdog this season.
- The over is 16-20-1 in UConn’s 37 games this season.
- The Huskies are 6-0 ATS in their last six games played on a Saturday.
- Illinois is 1-6 straight-up in its last seven games against an opponent from the Big East.
- The under is 5-0 in UConn’s last five games against a Big Ten opponent.
Over/Under Pick: Over 155
These two teams are very good offensively and have a multitude of weapons to turn to to put points on the board. Illinois is especially prolific in scoring, ranking ninth in the country with 84.2 points per game, and it has the most dynamic player in this game in guard Terrence Shannon Jr.
The senior is averaging 23.5 points this season and has averaged 31.2 points in the Illini’s last six games in the Big Ten tournament and the Big Dance. If the Illini are going to defy the Vegas March Madness odds and pull this upset, they must be aggressive and push the ball in the open floor, which usually has Shannon as the finisher.
ATS Prediction: UConn -8½
The March Madness expert picks almost unanimously had the Huskies in the Final Four, with most picking them to win their second straight national title. And coach Dan Hurley has his team on that path with some dominant play on both ends of the floor, which should continue in this contest. Illinois has not been to this point in nearly two decades while the Huskies are veterans in playing this type of game, and that experience should be the difference.
Guard Tristen Newton leads the UConn attack, averaging 15.3 points and 6.1 assists, but he’s not the only player who can hurt an opponent. The Huskies have five players averaging in double-digits in scoring, including guard Cam Spencer, who is averaging 14.5 points and shooting 44.1% from 3-point range. The deeper Huskies will keep pouring it on against the Illini to win this one going away.
Team Prop Pick: Both Teams To Score 70+ Yes (-173)
This will not be a grind-it-out kind of game like the Illini had for much of their regional semifinal against Iowa State, as both of these teams like to be aggressive and look for easy baskets in transition. We are going with the over-155 wager for this contest, and we see both teams eclipsing 70 points as well.
The Huskies aren’t going to be able to let up against the aggressive Illini, so the score is going to grow even once they take control of the contest. When you bet online, make sure to add this prop bet to your wagering.
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Score Prediction
Questions of the Day
Have UConn and Illinois faced each other before?
These two teams have played three times, with UConn winning two of the games, though the last matchup occurred in 1994.
Who does the winner of the UConn vs. Illinois game face next?
The winner of this contest advances to the Final Four, where it will face either Clemson or Alabama in the national semifinals.
