UConn vs. Illinois odds, prediction: 2026 NCAA Tournament Final Four picks from proven model

A spot in the national championship game is on the line as the No. 2 seed UConn Huskies take on the No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini in the 2026 Final Four on Saturday. The Huskies stunned Duke on a late steal and deep 3-pointer in the Elite Eight, and now they eye their third title in four years. Illinois, meanwhile, upset Houston in the Sweet 16 before handling Iowa in the Elite Eight to advance. It is the first trip to the Final Four since 2005 for the Illini. 

Tipoff from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis is set for 6:09 p.m. ET on Saturday. The latest Illinois vs. UConn odds list the Illini as 1.5-point favorites, while the over/under is 139.5. Before making any UConn vs. Illinois picks, you NEED to see the basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every college basketball game 10,000 times. It entered the 2026 Final Four on a sizzling 11-1 run on top-ranked over/under picks dating back to last year, and is on a 28-22 run on top-rated CBB side picks. Anyone following could have seen HUGE returns!

The model has simulated Illinois vs. UConn 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is going Over on the total, and it also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations!

So who wins UConn vs. Illinois, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Join SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that has simulated this matchup 10,000 times!