Data Skrive:
The No. 1 seed UConn Huskies (34-3) and No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (29-8) will face off for a spot in the NCAA Tournament Final Four on Saturday at TD Garden, starting at 6:09 PM ET.
The Huskies are an 8.5-point favorite against the Fighting Illini when the Huskies and the Fighting Illini square off. The game’s point total is set at 155.
Take a look at our preview for this game, and uncover all of our NCAA picks, too!
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Bet $20, Payout $38.52
UConn Cover -8.5 vs Illinois -108
UConn Huskies vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Lines and Game Info
- Game Day: Saturday, March 30, 2024
- Game Time: 6:09 PM ET
- Spread: UConn -8.5
- Total: 155
- Moneyline: UConn -431, Illinois +335
UConn vs. Illinois Betting Statistics
- Illinois (22-14-1 ATS) has covered the spread 67.6% of the time, 8.1% less often than UConn (25-12-0) this season.
- The Huskies (16-8) cover a lower percentage of games when they’re favored by 8.5 points or more this season (66.7%) than the Fighting Illini (1-0) do as an 8.5+-point underdog (100%).
- As a moneyline favorite this year, UConn is 29-2, a better tally than Illinois has put up (4-3) as a moneyline underdog.
- The Huskies and their opponents have exceeded the total 45.9% of the time this season (17 out of 37). That’s less often than the Fighting Illini and their opponents have (25 out of 37).
- UConn sports a worse record against the spread when playing at home (9-7-0) than it does in road games (7-4-0).
- Illinois has been better against the spread away (7-3-1) than at home (8-10-0) this year.
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UConn Top Players and Trends
- The Huskies outscore opponents by 18.0 points per game (scoring 81.6 points per game to rank 21st in college basketball while allowing 63.6 per outing to rank 10th in college basketball) and have a +666 scoring differential overall.
- UConn wins the rebound battle by an average of 8.8 boards. It is collecting 38.8 rebounds per game (38th in college basketball) compared to its opponents’ 30 per outing.
- The Huskies hit 2.9 more threes per game than the opposition, 8.7 (56th in college basketball) compared to their opponents’ 5.8.
- Tristen Newton puts up 15.3 points and 6.1 assists per contest — both team highs. He is also averaging 6.8 rebounds, shooting 42.1% from the field and 32.4% from beyond the arc with 1.8 made 3-pointers per game.
- Cam Spencer is averaging 14.5 points, 3.6 assists and 4.5 rebounds per contest.
- Donovan Clingan leads his squad in rebounds per contest (7.4), and also posts 12.6 points and 1.6 assists. Defensively, he posts 0.5 steals and 2.4 blocked shots (10th in the country).
- Alex Karaban posts 13.6 points, 5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. At the other end, he averages 0.9 steals and 0.8 blocked shots.
Illinois Top Players and Trends
- The Fighting Illini have a +406 scoring differential, topping opponents by 11 points per game. They’re putting up 84.2 points per game, ninth in college basketball, and are allowing 73.2 per outing to rank 223rd in college basketball.
- Illinois ranks ninth in the nation at 41 rebounds per game. That’s 8.2 more than the 32.8 its opponents average.
- The Fighting Illini hit 8.4 three-pointers per game (79th in college basketball), 2.2 more than their opponents.
- Terrence Shannon Jr. is the Fighting Illini’s top scorer (23.5 points per game), and he delivers 2.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds. His scoring average ranks him third in college basketball.
- Marcus Domask is averaging a team-high 4 assists per contest. He’s also delivering 15.8 points and 5.1 rebounds, hitting 45% of his shots from the field, and 28.9% from beyond the arc resulting in 1.1 treys per contest.
- Coleman Hawkins is averaging 12.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, making 46% of his shots from the field and 37.9% from beyond the arc, with 1.7 treys per game.
- Quincy Guerrier is the Fighting Illini’s top rebounder (6.2 per game), and he puts up 9.6 points and 0.3 assists.