One of the most anticipated matchups of this season’s NCAA Men’s College Basketball Touranment takes place on Thursday night when the 2-seed Iowa State Cyclones throw down against 3-Illinois. Both squads have cruised into the Sweet 16, dominating their mid-major opponents in their first two tournament games. Iowa State is a tepid -2 favorite.
Which team gets it done in what should be a back and forth affair?
MyBookie offers the March Madness odds for Illinois vs. Iowa State plus the winning pick for the game and a complete Sweet 16 March Madness betting analysis. Elite 8 is the next stop, so time to bet on the winner of the next round.
2024 March Madness Odds for Illinois vs. Iowa State Pick: Get your Betting Analysis and Pick for the Game | MyBookie Sweet 16 Preview of the NCAA Tournament
2024 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament | 85th annual edition of the tournament
3 Illinois Fighting Illini vs 2 Iowa State Cyclones | East Region: Sweet 16
ATS Odds: Iowa State -2
Total Odds: 146
Thursday, March 28th, 2024 at 10:09 PM
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Why Illinois is a Good Bet Versus Iowa State
Illinois has rocked it on both sides of the court. The Big Ten Tournament champs aren’t just locking down opponents on D. They’re dominating on the offensive side.
In the 85-69 victory over Morehead State, Illinois shot 54.2% from the field and over 46% from three. Versus Duquesne, Illinois cooled off from the arc, shooting just 33%, but the Illini shot close to 60% from the field.
The Big Ten squad has the ability to play inside or out, which makes them a viable underdog to upset the Iowa State Cyclones.
Illinois Last 5
- W – 89-63 vs Duquesne
- W – 85-69 vs Morehead State
- W – 93-87 vs Wisconsin
- W – 98-87 vs Nebraska
- W – 77-74 vs Ohio State
Illinois Predicted Starting Lineup
- F – T. Rodgers
- F – Q. Guerrier
- F – C. Hawkins
- F – M. Domask
- G – T. Shannon Jr.
Why Iowa State is a Good Bet Versus Illinois
Like Illinois, Iowa State can light it up from behind the three point line and from the field. The Cyclones shot 47.8% from three against South Dakota State. Iowa State blistered South Dakota State by shooting over 57% from the field.
Then versus Washington State, Iowa State shots just 40% from the field but an incredible 50% from behind the arc. Like their Thursday rivals, Iowa State can score via a three point attack or inside game. The Cyclones’ defense has also been stellar, holding Houston to 41 points in the Big 12 Championship.
Iowa State Last 5
- W – 67-56 vs Washington State
- W – 82-65 vs South Dakota State
- W – 69-41 vs Houston
- W – 76-62 vs Baylor
- W – 76-57 vs Kansas State
Iowa State Predicted Starting Lineup
- F – M. Momcilovic
- F – R. Jones
- F – T. King
- G – T. Lipsey
- G – K. Gilbert
Final Betting Analysis: 2 Iowa State Cyclones vs 3 Illinois Illini
This should be an incredibly close game. The difference is in strength of competition. While Iowa State had to fend off a good Pac 12 squad in Washington State in their last, Illinois got a chance to practice against Duquesne.
Iowa State worked hard for every bucket as evidenced by the Cyclones scoring less than 70 and shooting around 40% from the field. What it means is that Illinois is more rested than the Cyclones.
That should be a factor on Thursday night. The Illini comes at you in waves. Iowa State will keep it close for sure, they may even go into the final 10 minutes with a lead, but, eventually, the arduous work the Cyclones put in against Houston a couple of weeks ago and versus Washington State this past weekend will catch up to them. Illinois wins straight up.
Illinois vs. Iowa State
NCAAB ATS Pick: Illinois +115 | Lines for College Basketball
MyBookie Betting Lines for March Madness
Get the updated list of the favorites to win March Madness. Who will win the Tournament, if you know, bet on it!
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| Teams | Odds |
|---|---|
| Duke | -103 |
| Florida | +275 |
| Houston | +420 |
| Auburn | +480 |
Enjoy March Madness and we want to wish you the best of luck with all your NCAA Tournament betting, also, get your current odds to win March Madness with MyBookie.
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