- The #11 Duquesne Dukes face the #3 Illinois Fighting Illini in the second round of the NCAA Tournament
- The Illini are double-digit favorites over the Dukes
- See the Duquesne vs Illinois predictions, picks, and player props for Saturday’s game
Coming off a hard-fought upset of BYU as 9.5-point underdogs, the #11 Duquesne Dukes (25-11, 7-1 neutral, 19-16 ATS) are listed as double-digit underdogs in their second-round matchup with #3 Illinois (27-8, 6-0 neutral, 19-13-3 ATS) at CHI Health Center in Omaha on Saturday.
Tip-off is slated for 7:40 pm CT/8:40 pm ET in the penultimate NCAA Tournament game on March 23.
Duquesne vs Illinois Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duquesne Dukes | +10.5 (-105) | +400 | O 147 (-110) |
| Illinois Fighting Illini | -10.5 (-115) | -535 | U 147 (-110) |
In addition to being heavy 10-point ATS chalk, the Illini are also -550 on the moneyline. Duquesne, which has won nine straight games, is listed as a +410 underdog to advance. The winner will face either #2 Arizona or #7 Dayton in the Sweet 16 portion of the March Madness bracket.
The spread from this game opened as just 9.5 on Thursday night but has been bet up to 10.5. The Illini continue to get the vast majority of moneyline action in the college basketball public betting splits (72% of moneyline handle) but the public is hammering the Dukes with the line at 10.5 (73% of ATS handle).
Illinois Distances Morehead State
Illinois was in a fierce first-half battle with #14 Morehead State in the first round (leading by just a point at the break) but a big second half allowed the Illini to run away with an 85-69 victory. Terrence Shannon Jr, who averages 23.1 PPG, had a game-high 26 points, his fifth straight game with at least 25. But it was Southern Illinois transfer Marcus Domask who stole the show by becoming just the tenth player to record a March Madness triple-double (12 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists).
Illinois remains #10 at KenPom and #12 at Haslametrics, both of which rate Illinois’ offense as the second-most-efficient in the nation. KenPom projects a ten-point win on Saturday (80-70), while Haslam has it at roughly nine (78.4-69.4).
Illinois hasn’t lose to a team outside the KenPom top 80 all season (13-0). Its worst loss came in a true-road game at Penn State (90-89), which sits 78th. Duquesne enters the second round rated 82nd.
Duquesne’s Defense Comes up Huge Again
The slow-paced Dukes (252nd in tempo) held their final three A10 Tournament opponents to 60 points or under, including a 57-51 victory over VCU in the conference title game. Facing a BYU team with the 13th-most-efficient offense and the 87th-fastest tempo, Duquesne’s defense once again stole the show in a 71-67 victory. That was just the sixth time this season the Cougars were held under 70 points, and two of the other games came against Houston (#1 in defensive efficiency) and Iowa State (#2).
On offense, leading scorer Dae Dae Grant had a team-high 19 points in the victory, helping the Dukes go 7-of-18 from three (38.9%). But Duquesne’s offense, which connects at just 34% from three for the season, still rates just 152nd in the nation in efficiency at KenPom and 146th at Haslam.
Duquesne’s win over BYU (17th) was just its second over a top-50 team. The Dukes also beat #30 Dayton (65-57) in the A10 Tournament. They were 0-3 prior, with two regular-season losses to the Flyers and a road loss at Nebraska (89-79).
DUQ vs ILL Player Props
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Three-Pointers Made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coleman Hawkins (ILL) | 10.5 (Ov -110 | Un -130) | 6.5 (Ov +105 | Un -145) | 2.5 (Ov -145 | Un +105) | 1.5 (Ov +120 | Un -160) |
| Dae Dae Grant (DUQ) | 16.5 (Ov -125 | Un -115) | 3.5 (Ov +115 | Un -155) | 2.5 (Ov -175 | Un +135) | 2.5 (Ov -150 | Un +110) |
| Fousseyni Drame (DUQ) | 6.5 (Ov -105 | Un -135) | 7.5 (Ov +115 | Un -155) | OFF | 0.5 (Ov -115 | Un -125) |
| Jake DiMichele (DUQ) | 7.5 (Ov -140 | Un -100) | 2.5 (Ov -175 | Un +135) | OFF | 1.5 (Ov +180 | Un -245) |
| Jimmy Clark III (DUQ) | 15.5 (Ov -115 | Un -125) | 3.5 (Ov -165 | Un +125) | 4.5 (Ov -155 | Un +115) | 1.5 (Ov -140 | Un -100) |
| Marcus Domask (ILL) | 16.5 (Ov -115 | Un -125) | 5.5 (Ov -120 | Un -120) | 4.5 (Ov -150 | Un +110) | 1.5 (Ov +150 | Un -200) |
| Terrence Shannon Jr (ILL) | 23.5 (Ov -130 | Un -110) | 3.5 (Ov -150 | Un +110) | 2.5 (Ov +145 | Un -190) | 2.5 (Ov +105 | Un -145) |
The college basketball player props for Duquesne vs Illinois come from DraftKings Sportsbook on March 22.
Playing a slow-paced, solid Duquesne defense, Shannon’s point total is at 23.5. As mentioned, he’s hit at least 25 in each of his past five games. Grant leads the Dukes players at 16.5, almost exactly his season average (16.7 PPG), while Duquesne’s leading rebounder, Fousseyni Drame, has the highest rebound total on the board at 7.5, despite averaging just 5.8 RPG for the year.
Duquesne vs Illinois Picks
The outcome is going to depend on which team can impose its will. If Illinois is able to get out and run – and speed-up Duquesne in the process – there is a good chance the Illini will win and cover. If Keith Dambrot’s Dukes can slow the pace of the game and force Illinois to play in the halfcourt, covering a double-digit spread is going to be difficult for an Illinois team with a leaky defense.
Duquesne has been able to impose its tempo on all of its recent opponents. They are well-coached and extremely disciplined, and I expect another solid gameplan from Dambrot against Illinois.
DUQ vs ILL prediction: Duquesne +10.5 (-110)
The Duquesne Dukes will face off against the Illinois Fighting Illini in an exciting college basketball matchup that is sure to keep fans on the edge of their seats. Both teams have had solid starts to their seasons and will be looking to secure a win in this non-conference showdown.
When it comes to predictions for this game, it’s important to consider the strengths and weaknesses of each team. The Fighting Illini have a strong offense led by star player Ayo Dosunmu, who is averaging over 20 points per game. They also have a solid defense that has been able to shut down opponents in key moments. On the other hand, the Dukes have shown resilience and determination in their games, with a balanced scoring attack that can cause problems for their opponents.
In terms of picks for this game, it’s likely that the Fighting Illini will be favored to win due to their higher ranking and overall talent level. However, the Dukes should not be counted out, as they have shown that they can compete with top teams and pull off upsets. It will be important for Duquesne to limit turnovers and play strong defense in order to keep the game close.
When it comes to player props, keep an eye on Dosunmu for Illinois as he is capable of putting up big numbers in scoring, assists, and rebounds. For Duquesne, look out for Marcus Weathers who has been a consistent scorer and rebounder for the team. Both players could have a significant impact on the outcome of the game.
Overall, this matchup between Duquesne and Illinois promises to be an exciting one with plenty of action and drama. Fans can expect a competitive game with both teams giving it their all to come out on top. Stay tuned for what is sure to be a thrilling contest between these two talented squads.
