Illinois vs. Arkansas Bracket Prediction: March Madness Odds
The Fighting Illini finished the regular season knotted in fifth place in the Big Ten standings, earning them the No. 9 seed in the West. However, they have work to do after winning just four of their past 10 contests. The Razorbacks took a step back this season, posting a middling 8-10 record that relegated them to ninth place in the SEC, and have lost outright in six of their past nine games including a pair of defeats as betting chalk.
The Razorbacks are pegged as slim 2-point favourites heading into Thursday’s action, while Illinois lags as a +116 moneyline bet. The total is listed at 144.
Illinois vs. Arkansas NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
Thursday afternoon’s matchup at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa marks the first meeting between these teams since 2004, and their first ever clash at the NCAA Tournament. The Fighting Illini have dominated in head-to-head action, winning all five previous dates with Arkansas, with three of those victories coming by double-digit margins.
While the Razorbacks have struggled historically against Illinois, they have enjoyed recent success at the Big Dance, earning trips to the Elite Eight in each of the past two years, and have advanced past the opening round in five of their past six appearances.
Illinois will open its tournament as the lower seed for the first time in four years. The squad eked out a 73-62 first-round win the last time they were pegged as a nine-seed in 2011, and sport an impressive 13-2 straight up record in first round action in 15 appearances since 1997.
Illinois Fighting Illini (9)
The Fighting Illini emerged as a reliable defensive force this season, surrendering just 67 points per game, earning them a respectable No. 32 ranking in adjusted defensive efficiency at Kenpom. However, the squad struggled to contain opposing shooters down the stretch, giving up 78.5 points per game during a season-ending 1-3 run. Despite those stretch run struggles, the Illini have continued to receive steady performances from their top scorers. Leading scorer Terrence Shannon Jr. has racked up 18.2 points per game over his past six outings while the senior big man has averaged 6.9 rebounds over his past nine games and drained 20 or more points in five of 12 appearances.
Arkansas Razorbacks (8)
Seven straight losses to nationally ranked opponents has done little to bolster confidence in Arkansas’ ability to make a third straight deep run at the NCAA Tournament. The Razorbacks have managed to keep things close during their late-season slide, with six of their past eight defeats coming by six or fewer points. However, the club endured the wrath of head coach Eric Musselman in the wake of their embarrassing meltdown while falling 67-61 to Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament quarterfinal. The question now is whether Musselman’s tirades, which included calling his team soft, will have any impact. One thing is certain, this team will need greater production from top scorer Ricky Council averaged just six points in two SEC Tourney appearances, and saw just 19 minutes of playing time in last week’s loss to the Aggies.
