Illinois Fighting Illini NCAA Basketball Betting
Head coach Brad Underwood is leading the Illinois Fighting Illini to the Sweet 16 for the first time since taking over in the 2017-18 season. Last week, the Fighting Illini eliminated Morehead State and Duquesne, getting the money both times. Illinois will face a tenacious Iowa State team on Thursday night at TD Garden in Boston, MA. Iowa State won the Big 12 Conference Tournament and is coming off Big Dance wins over South Dakota State and Washington State. Indeed, Illinois and Iowa State make for a quality matchup.
Check the latest NCAA Basketball Betting Lines today!
2024 Illinois Fighting Illini Sweet 16 Lines
Illinois Fighting Illini +1
Iowa State Cyclones -1
Total: 146
Money Line: Illinois -101, Iowa State -119
Illinois Fighting Illini Next Matchup
On Thursday, March 28, 2024, the Illinois Fighting Illini of the Big Ten Conference will face the Iowa State Cyclones of the Big 12 Conference at TD Garden in Boston, MA. Tipoff Time is 10:09 p.m. ET, with television coverage on TBS.
Iowa State Cyclones Team Overview
Overall, the Iowa State Cyclones are 24-7 straight up, 19-10-2 against the spread, and 15-16 over/under the total. Iowa State has national metrics of 118th for scoring offense, 85th for field goal percentage, 140th for 3-point field goal percentage, 293rd for free throw percentage, and 239th for offensive rebounding. While defensively, Iowa State is 5th for scoring defense, 24th for field goal percentage permitted, 99th for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 61st for defensive rebounding.
Late on, Iowa State has covered seven of its previous nine games. Iowa State has gone under the total in eight of its last ten outings. First among Iowa State scorers is G Keshon Gilbert, with 13.7 points per game. G Tamin Lipsey adds 12.5 points per game. And then F Milan Momcilovic adds 11.2 points per game.
Illinois Fighting Illini Team Overview
Overall, the Illinois Fighting Illini are 23-8 straight up, 17-12-2 against the spread, and 21-10 over/under the total. Illinois has national metrics of 12th for scoring offense, 54th for field goal percentage, 123rd for 3-point field goal percentage, 84th for free throw percentage, and 6th for offensive rebounding. While defensively, Illinois is 214th for scoring defense, 126th for field goal percentage permitted, 259th for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 67th for defensive rebounding.
Late on, Illinois has covered five of its previous six games. Illinois has gone over the total in 14 of its last 16 outings. First among Illinois scorers is G Terrence Shannon Jr, with 23.0 points per game.
Illinois and its fans have been waiting since 2005 for their team to get back to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16. Coach Brad Underwood made a point to salute the ones who accompanied the team to Omaha for the first weekend of the tournament. He made his way to the front of the cheering section after the third-seeded Illini's 89-63 victory over Duquesne.
The Illini will play No. 2 seed Iowa State in an East Region semifinal at TD Garden on Thursday night. The Cyclones advanced with a 67-56 victory over seventh-seeded Washington State.
Illinois moved on with no drama. Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 30 points, Marcus Domask added 22, and Illinois made fast work of its 11th-seeded opponent from the Atlantic 10. Illinois hadn't made it through the first weekend of the tournament in eight previous appearances.
Duquesne, which came in on a nine-game win streak, had its first tournament appearance since 1977 end with its worst loss of the season that sent 65-year-old coach Keith Dambrot into retirement.
The Dukes, who had scored fewer than 70 points in 21 of their previous 36 games, had said they would have to slow down an Illinois team averaging better than 84 per game to have a chance. But Illinois was off and running in transition on Duquesne misses.
The Illini led 50-26 at the half and by 32 points midway through the second half.
Latest NCAA Tournament Results
| YEAR |
RESULT |
| 2023 |
Lost First Round vs. (8) Arkansas 63–73 |
| 2022 |
Lost Second Round vs. (5) Houston, 53–68 |
| 2021 |
Lost Second Round vs. (8) Loyola–Chicago, 58–71 |
| 2013 |
Lost Sweet 16 vs. (2) Miami (FL), 59–63 |
| 2011 |
Lost Sweet 16 vs. (1) Kansas, 59–73 |
| 2009 |
Lost First Round vs. (12) WKU, 72–76 |
2023-2024 NCAA Basketball Top Teams
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