The third-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini clash with the 11th-seeded Duquesne Dukes in the second round of the East Region on Saturday, as we offer our best Duquesne vs. Illinois expert pick and prediction based on the best March Madness odds.
After ousting No. 6 seed BYU in the first round, the No. 11 seed Duquesne Dukes (25-11) face an even bigger giant in No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (27-8) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Those two will tip off at 8:40 p.m. ET on TNT from the CHI Health Center Omaha.
Illinois is favored by 9.5 points to beat Duquesne after surviving a brief scare against Morehead State, which jumped out to a 9-0 lead and trailed by one at halftime before the Illini pulled away for an 85-69 win in the opening round. They'll hope for a better start against Duquesne, which nearly led wire to wire in its 71-67 win over BYU on Thursday.
Can Illinois avoid the upset and keep its March Madness odds and Final Four odds alive? Or will the Dukes extend their Cinderella run into next weekend?
As part of our March Madness predictions, here is our Duquesne vs. Illinois expert pick (odds via our best March Madness betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Duquesne vs. Illinois odds
Duquesne (11) vs. Illinois (6) expert pick: East Region
Odds: -115 via Betway
Duquesne deserves all the credit in the world for downing BYU in a game the Dukes had no business winning. That said, they'll have their work cut out for them in the second round.
When comparing these teams, it's impossible to ignore the massive difference in size. Illinois features the eighth-tallest rotation in the country with five starters all standing at 6-foor-6 or taller, which was on full display when the Illini blocked seven shots in the first round to smother Morehead State down the stretch.
Duquesne, on the other hand, has the second-smallest rotation of any team left in the field. The Dukes have seen 11.2% of their shots blocked this season – the fifth-worst mark by any team in the field of 68 – and have enjoyed nearly 50% of their scoring production from senior guards Dae Dae Grant (6-2) and Jimmy Clark (6-3), both of whom are listed at just 185 pounds.
If this contest becomes a showdown between scoring guards, that heavily favors Illinois and potential NBA lottery pick Terrence Shannon (23.1 PPG), who is averaging 32 points in four games since the start of the Big Ten Tournament. I just don't see Duquesne hanging around for 40 minutes against this explosive Illinois attack.
Not intended for use in MA
Affiliate Disclosure: Sportsbook Review may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook
Duquesne vs. Illinoi s spread & Over/Under analysis
Illinois opened as a 10-point favorite to beat Duquesne across most of our best sports betting sites, but the Illini are still laying just 9.5 points via Betway, which is offering the best price in the market for Saturday's favorites.
The total sits at 147.5 for this second-round matchup, which feels low at a glance for a game featuring the nation's second-best offense by adjusted efficiency. For what it's worth, KenPom has this contest projected as an 80-70 win for Illinois.
Duquesne vs. Illinois game info
- When: Saturday, March 23
- Tip-off: 8:40 p.m. ET
- Where: CHI Health Center Omaha, Omaha, Neb.
- How to watch: TNT
Duquesne-Illinois prediction made Friday at 5 p.m. ET.
March Madness betting odds pages
| March Madness Odds | March Madness Predictions | Final Four Odds | March Madness MVP Odds |
| March Madness Prop Bets | March Madness Upset Picks | March Madness Bracket Guide | March Madness Bracket Predictions |
| March Madness Bracket Challenges | March Madness betting promos |
Here are our best March Madness betting sites:
- Caesars Promo Code: SBRBONUS1000 | Read our Caesars Review
- BetMGM Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetMGM Review
- bet365 Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our bet365 Review
- BetRivers Promo Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetRivers Review
- FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
- DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review
(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.
Related pages
- Best Live Betting Sites | Best Sportsbook Promos (U.S. only)