Illinois vs. Iowa State: Predictions and odds for Thursday's March Madness Sweet 16 game
The No. 2-seed Iowa State Cyclones face off against No. 3-seed Illinois Fighting Illini in a tightly contested March Madness Sweet 16 matchup.
Iowa State has made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years, following their 67-57 victory over No. 7 seed Washington State in the second round. Tamin Lipsey was the standout player for the Cyclones, contributing 15 points, five rebounds and four assists to the team's win. Curtis Jones, who came off the bench, also played a significant role in the victory with 14 points.
Illinois has made it to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 19 years. They achieved this by defeating the Duquesne Dukes 89-63 in the second round of the tournament. Terrence Shannon Jr. was the star of the game, scoring 30 points, while Marcus Domask contributed 22 points to secure the win over the Dukes.
Super sweet: Reseeding the Sweet 16: March Madness power rankings of the teams left in NCAA Tournament
Illinois vs. Iowa State predictions
Sporting News: Iowa State 74, Illinois 71
Mike Breen writes: "Though they haven’t faced a defense quite as good as Iowa State, Illinois had some success against the better defensive teams in the Big Ten, dominating Rutgers twice but losing games against Michigan State and Maryland. Down the stretch, the Cyclones showed their ability to contain the Big 12’s top offensive teams, limiting BYU and Baylor to just 63 and 62 points in late-season matchups. And Iowa State smothered a pretty good Houston offense in the Big 12 tournament final, keeping them to just 41 total points. It’ll be close, but the Cyclones move on to their first Elite Eight appearance since 2000."
Pickswise: Illinois win
Hilton Coliseum writes: "While Iowa State’s defense has been impressive, its offensive output has been relatively pedestrian — ranking outside the top 100 in scoring. This could prove to be the Cyclones’ undoing against an Illinois team that excels in transition and can turn defensive rebounds into instant offense. I’m taking the plus money and will bet on Illinois securing a spot in the Elite Eight."
ESPN: Iowa State have 58% chance to win
According to ESPN's Matchup Predictor, the Iowa State Cyclones have a 58% chance to beat the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Sweet 16 game.
Illinois vs. Iowa State: Odds, spread and lines for March Madness
The Cyclones are favorites to defeat the Fighting Illini in Thursday's Sweet 16 March Madness matchup, according to the BetMGM college basketball odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering sports betting promos in 2024.
Odds as of Tuesday.
Spread: Iowa State (-1.5)
Moneylines: Iowa State (-135); Illinois (+110)
Over/under: 146.5
How to watch Illinois vs. Iowa State: TV, streaming and schedule
When: Thursday, March 28 at 10:09 p.m. ET
Where: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Cable TV: TBS
Streaming: Paramount+
How to watch NCAA Men's Basketball March Madness 2024
All games will be broadcast across CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV. Here are additional streaming options to watch all the action on your devices.
Stream through Paramount+
Stream through HULU with Live TV
Stream through DirecTV Stream
How to watch March Madness: Watch all tournament games with a subscription to fuboTV
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Illinois vs. Iowa State: Predictions, picks, odds
