Illinois vs Pennsylvania College Basketball Prediction, Odds, Picks, Best Bets for NCAA Tournament First Round

The No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (24-8) and the No. 14 seed Pennsylvania Quakers (18-11) will meet on Thursday at 9:25 p.m. ET in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The contest airs on TNT.

Before you place your bet on this matchup at FanDuel Sportsbook, here are the NCAA basketball odds and spreads you need to know.

Illinois vs. Pennsylvania Game Info and Odds

• Game day: Thursday, March 19, 2026
• Game time: 9:25 p.m. ET
• TV channel: TNT
• Location: Greenville, South Carolina
• Arena: Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Illinois vs. Pennsylvania Picks and Prediction

All college basketball win probability predictions and picks are according to numberFire.
Prediction: Illinois win (88.6%)

Read these betting trends and insights before you bet on Thursday's Illinois-Pennsylvania spread (Illinois -25.5) or total (151.5 points).

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Illinois vs. Pennsylvania: ATS Betting Stats and Trends

• Illinois has compiled an 18-14-0 ATS record so far this year.
• Pennsylvania has won 19 games against the spread this year, while failing to cover nine times.
• The Fighting Illini have covered the spread in a lower percentage of their home games than away games. They have covered 10 times in 17 games at home, and they've covered six times in 10 games when playing on the road.
• In 2025-26 against the spread, the Quakers have a lower winning percentage at home (.615, 8-5-0 record) than on the road (.750, 9-3-0).

Illinois vs. Pennsylvania: Moneyline Betting Stats

• Illinois has won in 17, or 77.3%, of the 22 contests it has been named as the moneyline favorite in this year.
• The Fighting Illini have been listed as a favorite of -20000 or more on two occasions this season and won both games.
• Pennsylvania has compiled a 7-10 record in games it was the underdog on the moneyline (winning 41.2% of those games).
• The Quakers have never played a game this season with moneyline odds of +3500 or longer.
• Illinois has an implied victory probability of 99.5% according to the moneyline set for this matchup.

Illinois vs. Pennsylvania Head-to-Head Comparison

• Offensively, Illinois was the ninth-best squad in college basketball (83.6 points per game) last year. Defensively, it was 263rd (74.8 points conceded per game).
• Last year, Illinois was best in the country in rebounds (39.7 per game) and 104th in rebounds conceded (30.1).
• At 14.9 assists per game last year, Illinois was 83rd in college basketball.
• Last season, Illinois was 215th in college basketball in turnovers committed (11.4 per game) and second-worst in turnovers forced (8.5).
• Offensively, Pennsylvania posted 69.6 points per game (294th-ranked in college basketball) last season. It surrendered 77.4 points per contest at the other end of the court (317th-ranked).
• Last season Pennsylvania grabbed 30.1 boards per game (291st-ranked in college basketball) and ceded 33.1 rebounds per contest (294th-ranked).
• Pennsylvania ranked 165th in the nation with 13.7 assists per game.
• Pennsylvania, who ranked 108th in college basketball with 10.4 turnovers per game, forced 8.7 turnovers per contest, which was fifth-worst in the nation.

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