A trip to the Final Four is up for grabs when the No. 1 seed UConn Huskies and the No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini battle Saturday in the Elite Eight round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The Huskies are looking to return to the Final Four and win the national title for the second straight year. Meanwhile, Illinois has made the Final Four five times in school history, with the last trip coming in 2005.
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 154.5. 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: 154.5 points
- Illinois vs. UConn money line: Huskies -454, Fighting Illini +344
- 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 forward Marcus Domask brings a skilled swingman onto the court. Domask scores around the basket with comfort but has the jumper to space out the floor. Additionally, he has the vision to find the open man. He puts up 15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and four assists per contest. On Mar. 23 against Duquesne, Domask totaled 22 points, seven assists and two steals.
Senior forward Quincy Guerrier is an athletic force in the frontcourt. Guerrier can hit his perimeter jumpers when left open and gets into the lane consistently. The native of Montreal averages 9.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. In the second-round win over Duquesne, Guerrier had 10 points and grabbed 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.
