#11 VCU vs. #3 Illinois Picks and Predictions: Round of 32
Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Fri Mar 20, 2026, 3:50 pm ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
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After pulling of a HUGE comeback against the No. 6 North Carolina Tar Heels on Thursday in the Round of 64, the No. 11 VCU Rams will have another tough task as they find themselves as double digit underdogs to the No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini. Brad Underwood's team made light work of the Penn Quakers in their Round of 64 contest, but now face a much better opponent in the Atlantic-10 Champions. Can VCU represent all the mid majors out there and give the Illini a run for their money? Let's get into our favorite picks and find out.
Check out our March Madness Betting Guide to get in on all the action this month!
Best Bet: VCU/Illinois Over 151.5 (-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.
#11 VCU Rams vs. #3 Illinois Fighting Illini NCAA Basketball Insights
Nyk Lewis had 16 points and 7 rebounds against North Carolina
After losing to Wisconsin in their only Big Ten Tournament game, the Illini turned things on, scoring 105 points on just 68 possessions against the Quakers. They shot 50% from the field and 42% from beyond the arc while only turning the ball over three times and dominating the glass. Against VCU, I see them having the same sort of success.
VCU was down 19 points with about 13 minutes left in the game against North Carolina, but that didn't stop them. They came storming back to not only force overtime, but held the Tar Heels to just three points in the extra five minutes to win outright by four as 2.5 point underdogs. Has the magic run out? Or can this Cinderella keep dancing against the three seed in the South?
Matchup Information – VCU vs. Illinois – March 21
- Venue & Location: Bon Secours Wellness Arena (Greenville, SC)
- Date: Saturday, March 21, 2026
- Kick Off: 7:50 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: CBS
VCU vs. Illinois Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of Lucky Rebel, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of March 20, 2026 at 2:55 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
- VCU +11 (-107)
- Illinois -11 (-113)
Moneyline
- VCU +415
- Illinois -550
Total
- Over 151.5 (-110)
- Under 151.5 (-110)
#11 VCU vs. #3 Illinois NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions
Keaton Wagler dropped 18 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds in the Round of 64
VCU vs. Illinois Prediction: Illinois Wins and Covers, Over 151.5
Best Bet: VCU/Illinois Over 151.5 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
While I do think Illinois wins this game and covers the spread, I'll be on the over. The Illini are the worst team in the nation in forcing turnovers, but they do take great care of the basketball. This should lead to plenty of good looks from any of their scoring options, while also letting VCU run their sets and find ways to score. This Illini team, when at their best, could very easily win the National Championship. And my 40-1 preseason ticket sure hopes it happens. While analytically the Illini aren't very fast, VCU will push the pace.
They rank top 110 in possessions per game, top 100 in 3P Rate and top 30 in 3P%, shooting almost 37% as a team. While the Illini do have a great perimeter defense, I would expect the Rams to let it fly often. If they don't shoot from downtown, they rank top 20 in getting to the charity stripe. They shot just 16 free throws against North Carolina, but were 11/26 from deep. While technically they might be due for some regression, it might be their best chance at staying in this game.
Either way, expect some tempo in this game, resulting in plenty of points.
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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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