In Thursday night’s Sweet 16 games, the Illinois Illini held off Iowa State and UConn provided another dominant victory. On Saturday, the NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament favored Connecticut Huskies take on the Illini a -8.5 chalk to march back to the Final Four. Illinois believes they can beat any team in the country. Does that also mean beating the top team in the nation? Keep reading for March Madness odds, analysis, and a free pick for UConn versus Illinois.

Illinois Fighting Illini vs. UConn Huskies 2024 March Madness Elite Eight Game Information

We'll see you tomorrow night, Husky Nation.

Forty more in Boston.#MadeForMarch | #MixForSix pic.twitter.com/HR7rZrDC0L

— UConn Men's Basketball (@UConnMBB) March 29, 2024

• When: Saturday, March 30th, 2024 at 6:09 pm ET
• Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
• TV: TBS
• Radio: NOW 100.7 FM (Illinois) // 1290 AM KCUB (UConn)
• Live Stream: March Madness Live
• NCAAB Betting Odds: Illinois (+8.5) // UConn (-8.5)

Why Bet on the Illinois Fighting Illini?

Illinois had been shooting lights out, dominating Morehead State with 85 and blasting Duquesne with 89. But versus Iowa State, the Illini had to win by concentrating on defense.

The Illini only shot 42% from the field and 31% from three, which is much worse than they had shot agaisnt Duquesne and Morehead. The Illini, though, held Iowa State to 39.7% from the field. Although Iowa State shot 46.7% from three, the Cyclones only took 13 three-point shots, which tells us that Illinois’ three-point D was good.

Illinois will have to play D, especially on UConn big Donovan Clingan, if they hope to make it to the Final Four. The Illini’s defense should step it up.

Why Bet on the UConn Huskies?

UConn is the best team in the country. For sure, the Huskies haven’t played the top squads on their way to the Elite 8. But the Huskies earned that right by dominating during the regular season.

Also, forget the scores in the NCAA Tournament. Connecticut beat Marquette 73-57 and 81-53 this season. Connecticut also beat Creighton 62-48 in an early regular season game. The Huskies are destroying opponents.

Illinois vs. UConn Betting Trends

• Illinois is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 games.
• Fighting Illini are 7-0 SU in its last 7 games.
• The total went over in 5 of Illinois’ last 6 games.
• UConn is 9-1 ATS in the last 10 games.
• Huskies are 10-0 SU in its last 10 games.
• The total went under in 7 of UConn’s last 8 games.

Illinois vs. UConn 2024 Elite Eight Prediction

Connecticut should post another double-digit victory. The Illinois Illini are a good team, but although they beat Iowa State, the fact they shot less than their best both from the field and behind the arc isn’t a good sign.

UConn pummels teams by being efficient on offense and forcing teams to work for every single point. Squads like Marquette, one of the top shooting teams in the tournament, couldn’t break 60 in a loss to Connecticut.

Dan Hurley’s bunch will force Illinois to take bad shots. The impatient Illini will end up on the wrong end of at least 2 significant Huskies’ runs. At the end, UConn blows by the 8.5 points spread with at least a 14-point victory. Don’t be surprised if Connecticut wins this by more than 20.

Where to Bet on the 2024 March Madness Tournament with Crypto

Nitrobetting offers a solid channel for those who want to bet on the 2024 March Madness Tournament with crypto. The power of crypto and its lightning-fast transactions make the entire NCAAB Season betting more enjoyable.

This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting news. Stay tuned for more 2024 March Madness Tournament previews and articles, and don’t forget to check out the latest college basketball odds on our online Crypto sportsbook.

READ MORE: Clemson vs. Alabama 2024 Elite Eight Odds and Preview