Will Xavier Stay in Reach of the Favorites?

No. 11 Xavier Musketeers (22-11, 13-8 Big East) play No. 6 Illinois Fighting Illini (21-12, 13-9 Big Ten) in this Midwest Region first round game at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

We’re delighted to see Xavier have been given a headstart on the spread. Take the +3.5 at odds of -115 when they clash with Illinois.

83-74 Victory for Xavier in Pair’s Previous H2H

Xavier Musketeers secured a 86-80 win against Texas Longhorns in their previous game.

Illinois Fighting Illini suffered a defeat in their last game. A 88-65 scoreline occurred on the road against Maryland Terrapins.

Head-to-Head Statistics

The last matchup between Xavier and Illinois saw the former win. It was a 83-74 scoreline.

NCAAB Regular Season	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Illinois	18-3	1784	1432	352	12-3	6-0	10W
Xavier	12-10	1706	1696	10	11-5	1-5	1W

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Xavier vs Illinois Prediction & Picks

There’s a great opportunity to back Xavier against the spread here. The underdogs should be able to produce a solid performance in this college contest, with +3.5 making lots appeal at -115.

The team at Sportsgambler.com are right across the latest injuries and the form guide also informs our college basketball predictions. This data is combined with the latest stats.

Key Xavier vs Illinois stats:

The +3.5 line has been covered by Xavier in all of their last 5 games.
The +3.5 line has been covered by Xavier in 9 of their last 10 games.
The +3.5 line has been covered by Xavier in 9 consecutive games.

Xavier +3.5 Probability

The sportsbooks make it a 53.5% chance that our pick is settled as a winner. However, our analysts think that the probability is close to 60% taking all factors into consideration. It’s why we think it’s worth placing this college basketball bet.

Looking for Bigger Odds?

If you want to secure a bigger potential payout on your wager, there’s the possibility to move the line. Take a look at the various prices and see which spread you think will be covered.

Our Game Prediction

Xavier +3.5 @ -115 Bet Now

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Published 23:52, 20 March 2025

Player Prop Picks

Top Pick: Dailyn Swain Over 2.5 Assists -122

Dailyn Swain (Xavier) can be wagered to total Over 2.5 assists at -122. We’re tempted to back him to cover the Player Assists line, with plenty of juice on offer.

Latest Dailyn Swain Player Prop Odds

Points

Assists

Rebounds

Marcus Foster Under 5.5 Rebounds +102

Marcus Foster (Xavier) can be backed to total Under 5.5 rebounds at +102. We’re pretty confident that this Player Rebounds wager will end up falling short of the line.

Latest Marcus Foster Player Prop Odds

Points

Assists

Rebounds

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.

Same Game Parlay Picks

Spread Xavier +3.5

Totals Over 159.5

Player Assists Dailyn Swain Over 2.5

We’ve got a same game parlay with three options: Xavier +3.5, Over 159.5 and Dailyn Swain (Xavier) to get Over 2.5 assists.

A same game parlay allows bettors to place a multiple wager on the same basketball game. You can go through the available betting lines and select the outcomes that you think will happen. The odds for each pick are then combined together.

Bet Boosts

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

Xavier

84 - 81 Illinois logo

Illinois

We’re expecting a close contest so it might be worth going for Xavier to win by a 84-81 scoreline. You can get a massive price and we should hopefully get a run for our money.

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Xavier 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.

Books Make Illini Moneyline Favorites

Sportsbooks’ favorites Illinois are regarded as likeliest victors for this college game and the -192 about them triumphing means a 66% chance based on their current Moneyline betting odds. Xavier are trading at bigger odds than their opponents and they can be backed at +160.

The current spread is 4.5 and total points is 161.5. There are many ways to bet on basketball including the Totals. If you want to wager Over 161.5, there are odds of -115.

If you’re keen on Illini reaching 20 points before their opponents, the favorites are -150 to oblige. Conversely, Xavier can be backed at +110 to make this total first.

The betting sites offer stacks of team props and game lines when it comes to most college basketball contests. Make sure you look through all the available options before deciding which bet to place.

Betting Lines & Odds

Moneyline

Point Spread

Total Points

Ryan Conwell Favorite to Score the Most Points

The favorite to land the most baskets is Ryan Conwell. Odds of -111 can be found for him scoring Over 18.5 points and there is -116 for him to go Under.

Player Points

Ryan Conwell (Xavier)

Zach Freemantle (Xavier)

Will Riley (Illinois)

Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois)

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Player Assists

Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois)

Kylan Boswell (Illinois)

Dayvion McKnight (Xavier)

Ryan Conwell (Xavier)

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Player Rebounds

Zach Freemantle (Xavier)

Tomislav Ivisic (Illinois)

Will Riley (Illinois)

Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois)

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Micro Betting

For those looking to enjoy a thrilling in-game wager, college basketball micro betting could be up your street. You are now able to wager on the Next Field Goal, with the options being for a two-pointer or a three-pointer.

Live market odds and lines updated regularly. All odds subject to change. T&Cs apply. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Best Betting Offers

Last 5 & H2H

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Last 5 Games

Xavier

NCAAB March Madness: 20/03 Xavier 86 Texas80
NCAAB: 13/03 Marquette 89 Xavier87
NCAAB: 08/03 Providence 68 Xavier76
NCAAB: 06/03 Xavier 91 Butler78
NCAAB: 01/03 Creighton 61 Xavier83

Illinois

NCAAB: 14/03 Illinois 65 Maryland88
NCAAB: 13/03 Iowa 94 Illinois106
NCAAB: 08/03 Purdue 80 Illinois88
NCAAB: 02/03 Illinois 93 Michigan73
NCAAB: 26/02 Iowa 61 Illinois81

Head to Head

Xavier vs Illinois

NCAAB: 22/11 2018 Xavier 83 Illinois 74

Team Stats

Latest regular season and playoff games stats.

Xavier Stats

Illinois Stats

Moneyline

8 wins and 2 defeats in the last 10 games

Moneyline

6 wins and 4 defeats in the last 10 games

Point Spread

+3.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 9 of the last 10 games

Point Spread

-3.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 6 of the last 10 games

Total Points

Game Totals: An average of 155.10 pts in the previous 10 games
Over 159.5: Covered in 4 of the previous 10 games
Team Totals: Have scored an average of 81.60 pts and allowed 73.50 pts in the last 10 games

Total Points

Game Totals: An average of 164.90 pts in the previous 10 games
Over 159.5: Covered in 7 of the previous 10 games
Team Totals: Have scored an average of 81.70 pts and allowed 83.20 pts in the last 10 games

NCAAB Regular Season Table Select Season

Big Ten	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Michigan	20-1	1900	1447	453	13-1	7-0	6W
Nebraska	20-1	1690	1374	316	15-0	5-1	1L
Michigan State	19-3	1741	1417	324	13-2	6-1	1L
Illinois	18-3	1784	1432	352	12-3	6-0	10W
Purdue	17-4	1747	1454	293	13-2	4-2	3L
Iowa	15-5	1553	1257	296	13-1	2-4	3W
USC	16-6	1792	1657	135	10-3	6-3	1W
Wisconsin	16-6	1831	1651	180	12-2	4-4	2W
Indiana	15-7	1793	1552	241	12-3	3-4	3W
UCLA	15-7	1717	1537	180	12-2	3-5	1L
Ohio State	14-7	1726	1543	183	10-3	4-4	1L
Washington	12-10	1722	1602	120	8-3	4-7	1W
Minnesota	10-11	1504	1437	67	9-6	1-5	6L
Northwestern	10-12	1686	1583	103	8-7	2-5	1L
Penn State	9-12	1605	1649	-44	8-7	1-5	8L
Rutgers	9-13	1548	1656	-108	9-5	0-8	5L
Maryland	8-12	1459	1580	-121	7-4	1-8	2L
Oregon	8-13	1519	1556	-37	7-7	1-6	7L

Big East	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
UConn	21-1	1738	1408	330	12-1	9-0	17W
St. John's	16-5	1793	1523	270	10-3	6-2	7W
Villanova	16-5	1635	1452	183	11-2	5-3	1W
Seton Hall	16-6	1586	1413	173	10-3	6-3	2W
Butler	13-9	1805	1687	118	12-4	1-5	2L
Creighton	12-10	1700	1658	42	10-3	2-7	2L
DePaul	12-10	1593	1527	66	11-4	1-6	2L
Xavier	12-10	1706	1696	10	11-5	1-5	1W
Georgetown	12-10	1658	1603	55	8-5	4-5	3W
Providence	9-13	1937	1895	42	7-5	2-8	4L
Marquette	8-15	1743	1792	-49	8-6	0-9	1L