The No. 1 seed UConn Huskies and the No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini battle in the Elite Eight on Saturday with a trip to the Final Four, and a matchup against the winner of Alabama vs. Clemson, on the line. UConn has been extremely dominant in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The Huskies have won all three games by at least 17 points. On the opposite side, Illinois has won two games by 16-plus points.
Tipoff from the TD Garden in Boston is set for 6:09 p.m. ET. The Huskies are 8.5-point favorites in the latest Illinois vs. UConn odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 155. Before making any UConn vs. Illinois picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Bob Konarski.
A high-volume, seasoned and successful bettor, Konarski joined SportsLine in 2022 and promptly went 116-97-10 on college basketball picks. Konarski heads into the Elite Eight of the 2024 NCAA Tournament on a 56-38-2 college basketball run that has netted $100 followers $1,354. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, he has his sights on Illinois vs. UConn in the 2024 Elite Eight and just locked in his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for UConn vs. Illinois:
- Illinois vs. UConn spread: Huskies -8.5
- Illinois vs. UConn over/under: 155 points
- Illinois vs. UConn money line: Huskies -448, Fighting Illini +341
- UCONN: 16-5 ATS this season on road/neutral site
- ILL: 14-4-1 ATS this season on road/neutral site
- Illinois vs. UConn picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why UConn can cover
Senior guard Cam Spencer continues to be an effective perimeter threat due to his quick release and range from downtown. Spencer also handles the ball well and makes smart reads as a passer. He puts up 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. In Thursday’s win over San Diego State, Spencer totaled 18 points, five rebounds and three steals.
Sophomore forward Alex Karaban is another three-level scorer. Karaban has impressive strength to hold his own defensively and is always moving to create space. He averages 13.6 points, five rebounds and shoots 38% from downtown. In the first-round win over Stetson, Karaban notched 12 points and four boards. See which team to pick at SportsLine.
Why Illinois can cover
Senior guard Terrence Shannon Jr. is a superb athlete who owns the verticality to soar above the rim with ease. He puts up a team-high 23.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. In his last outing, Shannon Jr. notched 29 points, five rebounds and three steals.
Senior forward Coleman Hawkins is a high-energy presence. Hawkins is able to defend multiple positions while being an aware ball handler. The California native logs 12.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. In the Sweet 16 win over Iowa State, Hawkins had 12 points and six boards. See which team to pick at SportsLine.
How to make Illinois vs. UConn picks
Konarski is leaning Under on the point total. He has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He’s only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.
So who wins UConn vs. Illinois in the 2024 Elite Eight, and what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the expert on a 56-38 roll on his college basketball best bets, and find out.
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