Now let’s dive into our latest Sweet 16 odds, picks, predictions and more for Thursday, including how to bet Illinois-Iowa State. Maybe we might find out if Coleman Hawkins is the key?
For more college basketball picks and predictions, make sure to check out our other college basketball articles and our college basketball betting tools!
How To Bet Illinois-Iowa State
Illinois-Iowa State Odds
Illinois: +104 | Iowa State: -125
Illinois +1.5: -110 | Iowa State: -1.5: -110
Over 145.5: -110 | Under 145.5: -110
When: 10:09 p.m. ET
March Madness Odds via FanDuel
Illinois-Iowa State Pick and Prediction
A pair of conference champions, Illinois faces Iowa State for a trip to the Elite 8. Illinois defeated a pair of double digit seeds in Morehead State and Duquesne to get here, while Iowa State beat South Dakota State and Washington State. Despite their recent successes, this sets up as a premier clash of styles.
On the Iowa State side, this team wins though their defense. They rank 46th on offense and second on defense. They force the second-most turnovers in the country, while sitting 48th in interior defense and 46th from the perimeter. Despite these metrics, Illinois sets up as a tricky matchup on defense for this team.
The Illini rarely turn the ball over on offense and play with a pair of bigger guards in Terrence Shannon Jr. and Marcus Domask, who both stand 6-6. Illinois is 31st in effective field goal percentage, while Iowa State ranks 92nd. From there, Illinois also ranks 15th in offensive rebounding, which helps clean up their rare misses on the offensive end. Much of this comes through 6-10 Coleman Hawkins, who also shoots 38% from three. Given Illinois’ unique lineup, Iowa State could have more troubles guarding than the numbers indicate.
As for Illinois’ defense ranked outside the top 100, their biggest concern is defending the three. The Illini rank 207th in three point defense, while Iowa State comes in 82nd in three point shooting. However, they only have one player shooting better than 36% from three. Tamin Lipsey shoots 39% from beyond the arc, making him the primary player to stop. Altogether, Iowa State’s guards will be a disadvantage physically and athletically, making this an interesting game to take a shot on an underdog.
Best Illinois-Iowa State Pick, Prediction: Illinois +1.5 (-110) at FanDuel
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