#3 Illinois vs. #2 UConn Picks and Predictions: Final Four
Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Thu Apr 02, 2026, 8:42 pm ET
Read Time: 6 minutes
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We are down to just three basketball games left in this year's NCAA Tournament. It's been a whirlwind of a month, yet it's come to a close, and the Final Four begins this Saturday in Indianapolis. The opening game features our two non one seeds as the South Region Champions, the No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini take on the East Region Champs, the No. 2 UConn Huskies. Can Dan Hurley compete for his third title in the past three years? Find out what our CBB experts are wagering on below by checking out their favorite picks.
Check out our March Madness Betting Guide to get in on all the action this month!
Best Bet: Illinois/UConn Under 139.5 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Go check out what else I've got on my daily card, and view the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks.
#3 Illinois Fighting Illini vs. #2 UConn Huskies NCAA Basketball Insights
Alex Karaban is looking to be a three time National Champion at UConn
Guess what, folks. We already saw these two teams before. And it was also on a neutral site, kind of. The Huskies and Illini met on November 28 for a showdown at Madison Square Garden. The Huskies were favored by 4.5 points which they covered with ease while staying well under the 151.5 total. UConn won 74-61, but the box score is interesting.
Eric Reibe played more than Tarris Reed for the Huskies. Braylon Mullins, their Elite Eight savior, saw just 10 minutes on the floor. For the Illini, Mihailo Petrovic played more than Keaton Wagler, and Jake Davis only saw eight minutes of playing time. The point is, things have changed. Now the Illini are the neutral site favorite with a much lower total than the first meeting.
Let's look at the betting odds and discuss.
Matchup Information – Illinois vs. UConn – April 4
- Venue & Location: Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, IN)
- Date: Saturday, April 4, 2026
- Tip Off: 6:09 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: TBS/truTV/HBO Max
Illinois vs. UConn Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of Lucky Rebel, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of April 2, 2026 at 8:15 p.m. eastern. Sign up today with and get a $1,250 deposit bonus, as well as 50 slot spins immediately. Lucky Rebel Sportsbook offers a wide variety of unique markets across nearly every sport imaginable.
Spread
- Illinois -2 (-110)
- UConn +2 (-110)
Moneyline
- Illinois -136
- UConn +112
Total
- Over 139.5 (-110)
- Under 139.5 (-110)
Illinois vs. UConn NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions
Keaton Wagler only put up three points and an assist against UConn in November, but he only played 14 minutes
Illinois vs. UConn Prediction: Illinois Wins and Covers, Under 139.5
Best Bet: Illinois/UConn Under 139.5 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
I have a 40-1 future on the Illini, so it would be very smart of me to hedge. I am not. So I actually have beans on Illinois -2 (-110), which I took last Sunday. However, I love this under. The first meeting stayed under by a large margin, and although things will be different, defense never changes.
Neither team is super fast, so both coaches will be patient and meticulous on offense, using up as much time as they need to get a good shot. The Illini's defense, although they cannot force turnovers at all, contests shots and works as a unit. They have allowed less than 60 points in three straight tournament games this year, holding those three teams to under 40% from the field. Illinois has the front court to compete on the glass and protect the rim against Reed and company, plus they are slight deeper in my eyes.
Tarris Reed has been the leading scorer and rebounder in three of UConn's four tournament games. The Illini have had three different players lead them in points, and three more in rebounds during their run. They have more options, and I see Brad Underwood leading his team to the National Championship in a low scoring, chess match.
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Check Out the Other March Madness Content from Betting News
For college basketball bettors, March Madness is the most wonderful time of the year. And at Betting News, we have you covered for this festively fun season with expert picks throughout the tournament from Nate Hornung and Eddie Griffin, consensus picks for every March Madness game from the First Four to the Final Four, a rundown of the best March Madness betting sites, and more.
Also, through our streams and social media channels, you can get even more insight from Nate and other members of the Betting News team, as well as offer your own thoughts and tips for the tournament.
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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