March Madness: 2 Best Bets for Today's College Basketball Game -- Illinois vs. Penn

Very few things in sports can match the unpredictability and excitement of March Madness.

The first round kicks off on Thursday, and we have for you a single-game betting piece for each of the day's 16 games. To see thoughts on other games, check out our full March Madness predictions page.

But for Illinois vs. Penn, here are my favorite bets.

All March Madness odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds and may change after this article is published. Stats via Bart Torvik and KenPom.

Illinois vs Pennsylvania Best Bets for March Madness

Illinois -25.5 (-110)

The Fighting Illini were one of the country's elite teams this year, and the advanced metrics reflect that as KenPom (seventh) and Torvik (fifth) both rank Illinois as a top-10 team.

Illinois was expected to be a top team coming into the year, and then they got the added boost of Keaton Wagler's breakout. The freshman guard burst onto the scene and posted averages of 17.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. Wagler's breakout pushed the Illini from a good team to a legit title contender.

Penn, meanwhile, ranks 151st overall on KenPom and comes in outside the top 100 in both offense and defense, with the Quakers' offense rating a poor 203rd.

There should be mismatches across the board, and if the Quakers play at their usual fast pace -- 88th in adjusted tempo -- they could get run out of the gym early. But regardless of pace, Illinois is capable of covering this lopsided spread.

Tomislav Ivisic to Record 6+ Rebounds (-130)

One of the Illini's key strengths this season -- similar to the other top Big 10 teams -- was rebounding.

Illinois ranked seventh in the nation in total rebound rate (56.7%), and they can bully Penn on the glass.

Enter Ivisic.

Illinois' 7-foot-1 big averaged 6.6 boards per game over the final 12 regular-season games before a quiet two-rebound outing versus Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament.

Ivisic averaged 27.2 minutes per game during that 12-game span. He should be out there a lot today, and his size figures to be tough for Penn to handle.

Which March Madness odds stand out to you this year? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.