UConn vs. Illinois Odds, Picks, and Predictions

• Terrance Shannon Jr. has scored at least 26 points in his three tournament games

• UConn beat SDSU by 30 points in the Sweet 16

• UConn is twenty-first in the country in scoring and tenth in opponent scoring

Illinois has looked like a Final Four team through its first three March Madness games, but it’ll have its hands full tonight. The Illini will play a top-seeded UConn Huskies team that has dominated the tournament. Only one of these great teams will earn a spot in the Final Four, setting up a thrilling game tonight.

Below, we will break down everything you need to know to bet on tonight’s game. We’ll share the latest odds and insights to help you bet confidently on Illinois vs. UConn tonight.

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UConn vs. Illinois Prediction and Odds

UConn Huskies

The Huskies have been as dominant in the NCAA Tournament as last year. They’ve blown out all three opponents, including an 82-52 smackdown of San Diego State. While SDSU wasn’t as good as the previous season, it was still a Top-25, which UConn demolished by 30 points. 

This UConn team is one of the greatest we have ever seen. They were twenty-first in the country in scoring (81.6 PPG) and tenth in opponent scoring (63.6 PPG). No other team in the country has that level of balance, and that is why the Huskies are rolling to another National Championship.

The Huskies' key will be to contain Terrance Shannon Jr. If they do, expect another blowout as they cruise to the Final Four. 

Illinois Fighting Illini

The Illini posted one of the most impressive wins of the tournament on Thursday. They held off a second-half comeback from a great Iowa State team to secure a 72-69 win. The team had no problem with the defensive-minded Cyclones, led by a 29-point effort from Terrance Shannon Jr. The guard was the third-leading scorer in the country during the season and has scored at least 26 points in his three tournament games.

The Iowa State win powerfully conveyed how good this Illinois team is. While they won the Big Ten Tournament, their first two tournament games came against Morehead State and Duquesne. The Cyclones were arguably a top-four team in the country, showing how good this team is.

UConn is far and away the best team in the country, but Illinois was seventh in scoring (84.2 PPG). The key will be their defense, which was an issue during the season (73.2 OPPG). They have been better during the tournament, but they’ll need to improve even more if they want to compete with the balance of UConn.

UConn vs. Illinois Pick

• PICK: UConn -8.5 (-110) at BetMGM Sportsbook

We don’t love how big this spread is, but UConn is on a whole different level than the rest of the field. As impressive as the Illinis’ scoring is, the Huskies are eighth in the country in opponent field goal percentage (39.4%). That will cause the Illini to stumble, which will be enough to secure a double-digit win.

Even if Shannon can overcome the UConn defense, the Illini don’t have the depth to keep up with the Huskies' juggernaut.

How to Watch UConn vs. Illinois

• When: Thursday, March 30 at 6:09 PM EST

• Where: TD Garden in Boston, MA

• TV: TBS

• Streaming: March Madness Live App