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Illini Favored Heavily in March Madness Opener
16 Mar
Summary
- Illinois, a No. 3 seed, faces Penn in the NCAA Tournament.
- The Illini are 22.5-point favorites against the Ivy League champions.
- A win advances Illinois to face the winner of UNC vs. VCU.

Illinois, securing a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, is scheduled to play its first-round game against No. 14 Penn. The matchup features the Illini against former Iowa coach Fran McCaffery and his Ivy League champions.
Sportsbooks have positioned Illinois as a substantial 22.5-point favorite over Penn for their Thursday contest in Greenville. The over/under for the game is set at 149.5 points.
Despite some recent struggles closing games against top Big Ten competition, Illinois has demonstrated dominance over teams like Penn throughout the season. A victory in this opening round would advance the Illini to face the winner between No. 6 UNC and No. 11 VCU.




