Illinois Fighting Illini vs Iowa Hawkeyes NCAAB Betting Pick & Prediction for 3/28
The Illinois Fighting Illini will take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. This game will be held at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Illinois comes in as the 3 seed, while Iowa holds the 9 seed in the South Region.
Illinois, ranked 13th in the AP poll, has a regular season record of 24-8 and a conference record of 15-6 in the Big Ten. Meanwhile, Iowa finished the regular season with a 21-12 overall record and an 11-11 conference record. Both teams have battled hard to reach this stage, setting up an exciting postseason game.
Illinois Fighting Illini vs Iowa Hawkeyes Game Day Info
- Sport: College Basketball
- Teams: Illinois Fighting Illini vs Iowa Hawkeyes
- Venue: Toyota Center, Houston TX
- Date: Saturday, March 28, 2026
- Betting Odds: Illinois Spread -6.5, Iowa Spread +6.5, Illinois MoneyLine -285, Iowa MoneyLine +225, Over/Under 138.5
Illinois Fighting Illini Team Preview
The Illinois Fighting Illini have had a strong regular season with a 24-8 overall record. They scored an average of 84.4 points per game, ranking them 25th in this category. Their effective field goal percentage stands at 55.0, placing them 52nd overall.
In postseason play, Illinois improved their scoring to 90.5 points per game, ranking 6th. They made 12.0 three-pointers per game, which is 11th in this category. Their rebounding also improved to 46.5 per game, placing them 5th.
Key players like Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic have been crucial. Wagler averaged 17.9 points per game in the regular season, while Mirkovic contributed 13.4 points and 7.8 rebounds. Tomislav Ivisic’s performance in the postseason also stood out with an average of 13.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.
Iowa Hawkeyes Team Preview
The Iowa Hawkeyes scored 75.2 points per game in the regular season. They ranked 223rd in this category. Their field goal percentage was 49.1, which placed them 21st overall.
During the postseason, Iowa’s points per game dropped to 72.3. They attempted 50.0 field goals per game. This was ranked 97th among teams.
On defense, Iowa averaged 7.1 steals per game in the regular season. They also committed 17.6 fouls per game. In the postseason, their steals improved to 4.3 per game, placing them 18th in that category.
BTB Betting Pick
Illinois is favored by 6.5 points against Iowa. With Illinois averaging 90.5 points per game in the postseason and Iowa at 72.3, Illinois is likely to cover the spread. Illinois has shown strong offensive capabilities, especially in the postseason, making them a solid pick against the spread.
The total for the game is set at 138.5 points. Considering Illinois’ postseason average of 90.5 points and Iowa’s 72.3 points, the projected total is 162.8 points. This suggests the game might go over the set total, given both teams’ scoring abilities in recent games.