Penn vs. Illinois Prediction, Odds, Prop Bet for NCAA Tournament 1st Round

Pennsylvania wasn't the top team in the Ivy League, sitting one step below the likes of Yale and Harvard, but they got hot at the right time en route to winning the Ivy League Tournament, and will now represent the conference in the NCAA Tournament when they take on No. 3 Illinois in the Round of 64.

Illinois lost a heartbreaker to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament, but a deep run in March would erase its missteps in conference competition.

Let's dive into the odds and my best bet for Thursday's matchup.

Pennsylvania vs. Illinois Odds, Spread, and Total

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Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

Pennsylvania +23.5 (-105)
Illinois -23.5 (-115)

Moneyline

Pennsylvania +3000
Illinois -10000

Total

OVER 150.5 (-115)
UNDER 150.5 (-105)

Pennsylvania vs. Illinois How to Watch

Date: Thursday, March 19
Game Time: 9:25 pm ET
Venue: Bon Secours Wellness Arena
How to Watch (TV): TNT
Pennsylvania Record: 18-11
Illinois Record: 24-8

Pennsylvania vs. Illinois Betting Trends

Pennsylvania is 20-8 ATS this season
The UNDER is 20-7-1 in Pennsylvania games this season
Illinois is 18-14 ATS this season
The UNDER is 18-14 in Illinois games this season

Pennsylvania vs. Illinois Best Prop Bet

David Mirkovic 15+ Points (-130) via FanDuel

Illinois would be smart to attack Penn where it's at its weakest, which is the interior. Penn ranks 293rd in opponent two-point field goal percentage, allowing teams to shoot 54.4% from two-point range. That could mean big things for David Mirkovic, who is the primary interior shooter for Illinois.

Pennsylvania vs. Illinois Prediction and Pick

Illinois has one of the highest three-point shot rates in the country, ranking 12th in that stat with 50.7% of its shots coming from three-point range. That feeds right into Pennsylvania's defensive strength. The Quakers rank 57th in opponent three-point field goal percentage, allowing teams to shoot just 31.7% from three-point range.

Pennsylvania also plays disciplined basketball, ranking 84th in the country in effective possession ratio.

Illinois will win this game, but the Quakers play the right style of basketball to keep this game within the spread.

Pick: Pennsylvania +23.5 (-105)

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