Iowa vs. Illinois odds, prediction: 2026 NCAA Tournament picks from proven expert on 44-28 run

The Elite 8 will have a Big Ten Conference flavor when the ninth-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes meet the third-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini in an NCAA Tournament South Region matchup on Saturday. Iowa is on a three-game winning streak after downing Nebraska 77-71 on Thursday, while Illinois stunned second-seeded Houston 65-55 in a Sweet 16 matchup. The Hawkeyes (24-12), who are looking to reach the Final Four for the first time since 1980, last reached the NCAA Tournament championship game in 1956. The Fighting Illini (27-8), who are looking to reach the Final Four for the first time since 2005, are also looking for their first national championship and to reach the title game for the first time in 21 years.

The game from Toyota Center in Houston tips off at 6:09 p.m. ET. Illinois won the regular-season meeting 75-69 on Jan. 11. Illinois is a 6.5-point favorite in the latest Iowa vs. Illinois odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 138.5. 

Before making any Iowa vs. Illinois picks, check out what SportsLine college basketball expert Bob Konarski has to say.

Konarski specializes in college basketball, displaying in-depth knowledge of hundreds of Division I teams. He is a regular presence in the SportsLine Discord, co-hosts a weekly Twitter Spaces with fellow CBB expert Tom Casale and can be seen on the "Early Edge" breaking down his college hoops plays. He enters the NCAA Tournament Elite 8 on a 44-28 run on college basketball picks, returning $1,308 for $100 players. Anyone following could have seen huge returns.

Now Konarski has broken down Iowa vs. Illinois from every angle and locked in his picks. He's leaning Over on the total, and he's also found a critical X-factor that has him jumping on one side the spread! 

So who covers in Iowa vs. Illinois, and what critical X-factor do you need to know about? Join SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the expert on a sizzling 44-28 run on CBB picks!