Published Mar 18, 8:06am ET by
Demilade Adelekun - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Mar 18, 8:06am ET
Coming off a historic Ivy League Madness performance, TJ Powers and Penn will travel to Greenville to face Illinois.
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| Illinois Fighting Illini | -24.5 (-110) |
| Pennsylvania Quakers | +24.5 (-110) |
Penn is 18-11 overall and the 14th seed in the South Region, making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2018.
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TJ Power is the story. The former Duke and Virginia transfer put up 44 points and 14 rebounds on 14-of-26 shooting to get them to this point. Penn's only path in this game runs directly through Power having another monster night.
Illinois is 24-8 overall and the 3rd seed in the South Region, making their 36th NCAA Tournament appearance with a Sweet 16 or better firmly in their sights.
They are led by Keaton Wagler, one of the best freshmen in the country. Wagler is an AP Second Team All-American, Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and averages 17.9 ppg on 41% from three. He is a player built for March. Illinois as a whole is elite offensively. They finished the year ranked as the most efficient offense in KenPom history. Will they cruise pass the Quakers?
Illinois should wins this game comfortably that's not in question. However, 24.5 is a massive number against a Penn team that just went toe-to-toe with Yale for 45 minutes. Power is capable of having another explosive night, and Ivy League teams have been very stubborn in March. We think Penn will keep this competitive. Our pick is Penn (+24.5).
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Pick
Penn (+24.5)
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