Illinois vs Iowa State prediction, picks in Sweet 16 bracket: Who advances to Elite Eight?

The No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini basketball team faces the No. 2 seeded Iowa State Cyclones in the Sweet 16 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Thursday in Boston.

The Illini are 28-8 and came into the NCAA Tournament on the heels of winning the Big Ten Conference tournament. Iowa State is 29-7 and came into the NCAA Tournament after winning the Big 12 Conference tournament.

Here is what you need to know about the upcoming East Region March Madness bracket matchup from TD Garden.

ALL THE SWEET 16 PICKS: Who reaches Elite Eight of March Madness?

Illinois vs. Iowa State March Madness statistical matchup

• Illinois: 84.6 points per game, 73.4 points allowed per game, 1-3 vs. Top 25, BPI No. 11, 14-6 in conference play

• Iowa State: 75.5 points per game, 61.3 points allowed per game, 7-5 vs. Top 25, BPI No. 6, 13-5 in conference play

Illinois vs. Iowa State top players in 2024 NCAA Tournament

• Illinois: Terrence Shannon Jr. (23.3 points per game, 4.0 rebounds per game, 2.3 assists per game); Marcus Domask (16.1 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game, 4.0 assists per game); Coleman Hawkins (12.3 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game, 2.8 assists per game, 1.5 steals per game, 1.1 blocks per game)

• Iowa State: Tamin Lipsey (12.5 points per game, 4.6 rebounds per game, 4.4 assists per game, 2.7 steals per game); Keshon Gilbert (13.7 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game, 4.3 assists per game, 1.9 steals per game); Milan Momcilovic (11.2 points per game, 3.2 rebounds per game).

Illinois vs. Iowa State notable victories, NCAA Tournament wins

• Illinois: Regular season — W vs. Florida Atlantic, 2-0 vs. Wisconsin, 1-1 vs. Michigan State. NCAA Tournament — Defeated No. 14 seed Morehead State and No. 11 seed Duquesne.

• Iowa State: Regular season — 2-1 vs. Houston, 1-1 vs. Baylor, 1-1 vs. BYU, W vs. Kansas, 2-0 vs. TCU, 1-1 vs. Oklahoma. NCAA Tournament — Defeated No. 15 seed South Dakota State and No. 7 seed Washington State.

KenPom rating for Illinois vs. Iowa State in NCAA Sweet 16

• Illinois: No. 10 overall, No. 1 offense, No. 93 defense, No. 28 strength of schedule

• Iowa State: No. 6 overall, No. 48 offense, No. 2 defense, No. 39 strength of schedule

MARCH MADNESS: Illinois basketball rolls Duquesne to advance to Sweet 16

Illinois vs. Iowa State odds, spread in Sweet 16 bracket

Iowa State basketball is the favorite to defeat Illinois in the Sweet 16 of March Madness, according to BetMGM odds. Here’s the latest spread, money line and odds for the NCAA Tournament game.

• Spread: Iowa State -2.5

• Money line: Iowa State -145; Illinois +120

• Over/under: 146.5

Illinois prediction vs Iowa State: March Madness Sweet 16

• Outlook: The teams have similar paths to the NCAA Tournament, but a contrast of styles. Illinois has the nation's No. 1-ranked offense and Iowa State has the nation's No. 2-ranked defense. Iowa State certainly has performed better against top-tier teams (two wins over Houston especially), but Illinois has the playmakers who we think will rise to the occasion.

• Prediction: Illinois 79, Iowa State 76

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This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Illinois vs Iowa State prediction, Sweet 16 odds: March Madness pick is in