by Rod Pearson
Tuesday, Mar 26, 2024
Game Time: 10:09 pm ET, Thursday, March 28, 2024
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Where to Watch: TBS, TruTV
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Illinois +1.5, Iowa State -1.5; Over/Under: 146 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Illinois +1.5, Iowa State -1.5; Over/Under: 145.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Illinois +1.5, Iowa State -1.5; Over/Under: 145.5 points
Season Record
Illinois Fighting Illini: 28-8 (14-6) (2nd place, Big Ten)
Iowa State Cyclones: 29-7 (13-5) (2nd place, Big 12)
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Recent Form
Illinois Fighting Illini: 5-0 last 5
Iowa State Cyclones: 5-0 last 5
Illinois Fighting Illini vs Iowa State Cyclones Preview and Analysis
Illinois is entering this game with a 28-8 record overall, a 14-6 record in conference games, and they are 7-0 in their neutral site games this season where they will be in this game. They are coming off a win against the Duquesne Dukes in their last game. Terrence Shannon Jr. led the team in points per game in that game with 30 while Marcus Domask was next on the team with 22. Marcus Domask led the team in assists with 7 in that game while Coleman Hawkins led the team in rebounds with 7. They were 59.3% from the field, 33.3% from 3-point range, and 70.6% from the free throw line with their shooting in that game. Their offense is averaging 84.6 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 73.4 PPG against them. Illinois has an ATS record of 20-13-3 this season and their O/U record is 26-10.
Iowa State is entering this game with a 29-7 record overall, a 13-5 conference record, and they are 6-2 in their neutral site games this season where they will be in this game. They are coming off a win against the Washington State Cougars in their last game. Tamin Lipsey led the team in points in that game with 15 while Curtis Jones was next on the team with 14. Tamin Lipsey and Curtis Jones each led the team in assists with 4 in that game while Hason Ward led the team in rebounds with 6. They were 40.4% from the field, 50% from 3-point range, and 82.4% from the free throw line with their shooting in that game. Their offense is averaging 75.5 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 61.2 PPG against them. Iowa State has an ATS record of 25-10-1 this season and their O/U record is 17-19.
Illinois vs Iowa State Prediction
The current betting odds have Iowa State listed as a 1.5 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Iowa State has looked really good in their games this season with their 29-7 record overall which has them ranked inside the top 25 teams in the country. They have looked great in the Big 12 this year with their 13-5 conference record which has them right near the top, but they also went on to win the Big 12 Conference Tournament. They have looked really good in their games lately with a lot of momentum on their side and they are 6-2 in their neutral site games too. Meanwhile, Illinois has also looked really good in their games this season with their 28-8 record overall which has them ranked inside the top 25 teams in the country too. They also looked great in the Big Ten this season with their 14-6 conference record which has them right near the top, and just like Iowa State did with theirs, Illinois went on to win the Big Ten Conference Tournament. They have also been really hot lately and they are 7-0 in their neutral site games, but Illinois hasn't really been tested in this tournament yet. Their first 2 wins were against Morehead State and Duquesne while Iowa State beat South Dakota State and a much tougher Washington State team in their last one. Iowa State also had to beat Houston to win the Big 12 Conference while Illinois wasn't the team to kick out Purdue who was the best team in their conference all year. Iowa State has looked great in their games all season with some very impressive wins under their belt and they are the more battle tested team right now coming into this one, giving them the edge in this game. The best way to place a bet here is on Iowa State to cover the spread in this game.
Illinois Iowa State Prediction: Our NCAAB Pick for Thursday, March 28, 2024 (10:09 pm ET start time) is Iowa State 77 Illinois 69.
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NCAAB Betting Trends
Illinois Fighting Illini: 7-2 ATS when the line is +3 to -3. 6-1 ATS in all neutral court games. 13-7 ATS after a game where they covered the spread. 26-10 OVER in all games. 12-4 OVER when the total is 140 to 149.5. 20-5 OVER after one or more consecutive overs.
Iowa State Cyclones: 5-13 ATS after successfully covering the spread in 5 or more consecutive games. 0-3 ATS after 5 or more consecutive wins. 29-18 OVER in a neutral court game where the total is 140 to 149.5. 8-4 OVER after 5 straight games committing 14 or less turnovers. 9-5 OVER when seeded 4 or higher in the NCAA tournament.
Key Injuries
Illinois Fighting Illini: M. Williams (G) Out indefinitely - Undisclosed.
Iowa State Cyclones: K. Fish (F) out for season - Shoulder. J. Hamilton (G) out for season - Redshirt. J. Rock (C) out for season - Redshirt.
Notable Quotes
“This program is elite. To not be there in 18, 19 years, that's mind-numbing. It feels good to be advancing with this group. This is one of my favorite teams to coach. On to Boston.” - Brad Underwood after his team’s win against Duquesne in their last game in the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
“I think our guys are a very together and poised group. We know we’re going to have adversity, and credit Washington State for doing a great job putting us on our heels. But credit to our guys for not panicking, not getting too low or emotional, and staying the course, waiting for it to come back around to us.” - T.J. Otzelberger after his team’s win against WSU in their last game in the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
Starting Lineups
Illinois Fighting Illini
M. Domask
Q. Guerrier
C. Hawkins
T. Rodgers
T. Shannon
Iowa State Cyclones
K. Gilbert
R. Jones
T. King
T. Lipsey
M. Momcilovic
Statistical Leaders
Illinois Fighting Illini
PPG: T. Shannon Jr. (21.6)
APG: M. Domask (3.5)
Reb/G: Q. Guerrier (6.7)
Iowa State Cyclones
PPG: K. Gilbert (13.5)
APG: T. Lipsey (4.8)
Reb/G: T. King (5.1)
Coaches:
Illinois Fighting Illini: Brad Underwood (7th season)
Iowa State Cyclones: T.J. Otzelberger (3rd season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
