Penn vs Illinois Prediction, Picks & Odds | 19 Mar 2026

College Basketball Betting Preview: Penn vs Illinois

No. 14 Penn Quakers square off against No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini in this NCAA Tournament First Round game at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, with tip-off scheduled for 21:25 on Thursday, March 19.

We like the look of Penn +25.5 at odds of -110 when they take on Illinois. We think they can put up a strong showing against the big favorites.

The Penn Quakers (18-11, 3rd in Ivy) were beaten 88-84 in overtime by the Yale Bulldogs on the road in their last game.

The Illinois Fighting Illini (24-8, 2nd in Big Ten) also lost in overtime in their last matchup, falling 91-88 at home to the Wisconsin Badgers.

NCAAB Regular Season	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Illinois	24-8	2700	2234	466	15-6	9-2	1L
Penn	18-11	2207	2126	81	12-2	6-9	5W

View Full Standings

Penn vs Illinois Prediction & Picks

Our expert Penn vs Illinois betting tips include a main match prediction, a correct score pick, standout player prop selections and bet builder advice. Explore each section below for detailed insights.

Game Prediction

The underdogs have been given a +25.5 line on the spread. We think they can avoid a heavy defeat in this college showdown and you can play Penn at -110.

The basketball picks at Sportsgambler.com are always guided by the latest team news, injury updates and overall form. Once we've reviewed that, we dive into the most relevant stats to confidently recommend every college hoops pick.

Key Penn vs Illinois stats:

• The +25.5 line has been covered by Penn in 20 consecutive games.
• The -25.5 line hasn’t been covered by Illinois in 4 of their last 5 games.
• The -25.5 line hasn’t been covered by Illinois in 15 of their last 20 games.
• The -25.5 line hasn’t been covered by Illinois in 2 consecutive games.

Penn +25.5 Probability

According to the latest odds, our pick has a 52.4% chance of delivering a return. Based on our in-depth research, we calculate the actual probability to be 55-60%. The bet can be recommended for this precise reason.

The Winning Margin lines allow you to bet on Pennsylvania to secure a victory by a certain number of points. It’s a different wager and a viable alternative to the point spread.

Thinking of betting? Browse our detailed guide for the best current offers, including free bets and the latest bonuses.

Our Game Prediction

Penn +25.5 @ -110 Bet Now

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Disclosure: This preview contains affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. T&Cs apply. We only recommend licensed and regulated operators. See our Editorial Policy. Pick odds and lines reflect the price available at the time of publication (Mar 19, 02:03). Live market odds are updated regularly and may differ. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Player Prop Picks

Top Pick: TJ Power Over 14.5 Points -125

TJ Power (Penn) can be backed to record Over 14.5 points at -125. We think this is the pick of the prop bets that are on offer when it comes to backing him on Player Points.

Latest TJ Power Player Prop Odds

Points

Over 14.5

-125

Under 14.5

-105

Rebounds

Over 7.5

+107

Under 7.5

-139

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Tomislav Ivisic Under 10.5 Points -125

Tomislav Ivisic (Illini) can be wagered to record Under 10.5 points at -125. It’s anticipated that he might fall short of the mark and that leads us to an Unders bet.

Latest Tomislav Ivisic Player Prop Odds

Points

Over 10.5

-105

Under 10.5

-125

Rebounds

Over 5.5

-114

Under 5.5

-114

Pick odds and lines correct at publication. Live market odds are updated regularly and may differ. T&Cs apply. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Correct Score Prediction

Penn 61 - 84 Illinois

There’s the chance to land huge betting odds when it comes to the Illini winning on the correct score lines. We’ll try a 84-61 victory in their favor and this should be in the right ball park.

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Penn vs Illinois Odds

The odds and lines below are updated regularly and may differ from the prices shown in our picks, which are captured at the time of publication.

It’s no surprise to find the Moneyline either uncompetitive or not available with many sportsbooks. However, there is a spread where favorites Illinois and their opponents feature and bettors can work out where the value lies.

The spread is calculated to be 25.5, while total points comes in at 151.5. A Total bet is always available and can often provide value selections. There’s the chance to back Under 151.5 at -110.

College basketball bettors are spoilt for choice thanks to the huge selection of game lines and team props which are available for most matchups on the coupon. Head to the top betting apps and find the best value picks.

Moneyline

Penn

-

Illinois

-

Point Spread

Penn +25.5

-110

Illinois -25.5

-110

Total Points

Under 151.5

-110

Over 151.5

-110

Keaton Wagler is the market leader to hit the most buckets. He is priced at -125 to score Over 18.5 points. Alternatively, you can back Under at -105.

Keaton Wagler (Illinois)

Over 18.5

-125

Under 18.5

-105

David Mirkovic (Illinois)

Over 15.5

-110

Under 15.5

-120

TJ Power (Penn)

Over 14.5

-125

Under 14.5

-105

Kylan Boswell (Illinois)

Over 12.5

-100

Under 12.5

-135

Tomislav Ivisic (Illinois)

Over 10.5

-105

Under 10.5

-125

Keaton Wagler (Illinois)

Over 4.5

-130

Under 4.5

-111

David Mirkovic (Illinois)

Over 8.5

+115

Under 8.5

-149

TJ Power (Penn)

Over 7.5

+107

Under 7.5

-139

Tomislav Ivisic (Illinois)

Over 5.5

-114

Under 5.5

-114

Keaton Wagler (Illinois)

Over 4.5

-111

Under 4.5

-116

Latest regular season and playoff games stats.

Penn Stats

Illinois Stats

Moneyline

• 9 wins and 1 defeat in the last 10 games

Moneyline

• 5 wins and 5 defeats in the last 10 games

Point Spread

• +25.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in the last 10 games

Point Spread

• -25.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 3 of the last 10 games

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 145.10 pts in the previous 10 games
• Over 151.5: Covered in 3 of the previous 10 games
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 75.60 pts and allowed 69.50 pts in the last 10 games

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 157.10 pts in the previous 10 games
• Over 151.5: Covered in 6 of the previous 10 games
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 83.80 pts and allowed 73.30 pts in the last 10 games

NCAAB Regular Season Table Select Season 2025/20262024/20252023/20242022/20232021/20222020/20212019/2020

Big Ten	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Michigan	31-3	2952	2353	599	19-2	12-1	1L
Nebraska	26-6	2473	2119	354	19-3	7-3	1L
Michigan State	25-7	2526	2189	337	17-3	8-4	2L
Purdue	27-8	2858	2455	403	16-5	11-3	4W
Illinois	24-8	2700	2234	466	15-6	9-2	1L
Wisconsin	24-10	2822	2581	241	16-2	8-8	1L
UCLA	23-11	2643	2414	229	18-3	5-8	1L
Ohio State	21-12	2633	2402	231	15-5	6-7	1L
Iowa	21-12	2482	2177	305	17-3	4-9	1L
Indiana	18-14	2501	2309	192	15-6	3-8	2L
USC	18-14	2515	2494	21	11-7	7-7	8L
Washington	16-17	2545	2430	115	11-6	5-11	1L
Minnesota	15-17	2241	2193	48	13-8	2-9	1L
Northwestern	15-19	2487	2447	40	11-9	4-10	1L
Rutgers	14-19	2329	2479	-150	11-7	3-12	1L
Oregon	12-20	2267	2366	-99	10-10	2-10	1L
Penn State	12-20	2358	2539	-181	10-10	2-10	3L
Maryland	12-21	2300	2527	-227	9-8	3-13	1L

Ivy League	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Yale	24-6	2453	2129	324	13-3	11-3	1L
Penn	18-11	2207	2126	81	12-2	6-9	5W
Harvard	17-12	2032	1934	98	8-5	9-7	1L
Columbia	16-12	2146	2007	139	9-5	7-7	2L
Cornell	15-13	2477	2335	142	7-4	8-9	1L
Dartmouth	11-16	2047	2071	-24	5-8	6-8	3L
Princeton	9-20	1989	2087	-98	8-6	1-14	1L
Brown	8-18	1785	1858	-73	5-8	3-10	3L

• Overall = Overall Wins-Losses
• PF = Total Points For
• PA = Total Points Against
• N. Pts = Point Differential
• Home = Home Record
• Away = Away Record
• Strk = Current Streak

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