VCU vs. Illinois odds, prediction: 2026 NCAA Tournament picks from proven model

The eleven-seeded VCU Rams face the third-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini in the second round of the NCAA Tournament South Region on Saturday. VCU advanced by mounting an epic 19-point comeback to beat UNC 82-78 in overtime in the first round on Thursday, while Illinois cruised past Penn 105-70. The Rams (28-7), who won the A-10 tournament, have won seven straight games. The Fighting Illini (25-8), who finished fourth in the Big Ten standings at 15-5, are 10-2 against non-conference opponents this season. 

Tipoff from Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C., is set for 7:50 p.m. ET. Illinois is a 10.5-point favorite in the latest VCU vs. Illinois odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 149.5. 

Before making any Illinois vs. VCU 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 NCAA Tournament 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 VCU vs. Illinois 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 well over 60% of the time!

So who wins VCU vs. Illinois, and which side of the spread hits well over 60% 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!