- After upsetting BYU, the #11 Duquesne Dukes face the #3 Illinois Fighting Illini in the second round of the NCAA Tournament
- Illinois distanced Morehead State in its first-round matchup after a tight first half
- See the opening Duquesne vs Illinois odds and spread for Saturday’s game in Omaha, NE
Not a popular upset pick, the #11 Duquesne Dukes put the East Region on notice with a hard-fought 71-67 win over #6 BYU as 9.5-point underdogs. The road doesn’t get any easier in the second round as they face the #3 Illinois Fighting Illini at CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday, March 23.
The Illini have opened as big favorites to stop Duquesne’s Cinderella run at just one game.
Duquesne vs Illinois Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| #11 Duquesne Dukes | +9.5 (-105) | TBD | TBD |
| #3 Illinois Fighting Illini | -9.5 (-115) | TBD | TBD |
The opening Duquesne vs Illinois odds list the Illini as 9.5-point chalk, exactly the same number the Dukes stared down on Thursday afternoon against BYU.
Odds as of March 21 at FanDuel,
Dukes Stun BYU in First Round
After grabbing the A10’s auto-big with a 57-51 win over VCU in the A10 Tournament title game, many felt that Duquesne (25-11) was overseeded as a #11 seed. Facing a BYU team that was supposed to be on the #4 line, the Duquesne/BYU spread ballooned from 7.5 on Selection Sunday to BYU -9.5 by tip-off time.
But the Dukes grabbed an early 7-0 lead and, after BYU came back to take a 20-19 edge, immediately went on a 14-1 run to establish a lead they wouldn’t surrender.
Leading scorer Dae Dae Grant (16.7 PPG) finished with a team-high 19 points including going 4-of-4 from the stripe in the final minute to seal the victory. The Dukes’ defense held high-scoring BYU to just 22-of-57 from the field (38.5%). The Cougars’ 67 points were 14.8 below their season average (81.8 PPG).
The strong defensive showing was just the latest in a long line of stingy performances from Keith Dambrot’s team. They held their last three A10 Tournament opponents to 60 or fewer, and they now sit 28th in the nation in adjusted-defensive efficiency.
Illinois Boat Races Morehead State in Second Half
The #3 Illini looked like they may be in a similar boat as BYU early in their matchup with #14 Morehead State. The Eagles jumped out to a 9-0 lead and were still up six eight minutes into the game. But Illinois had taken a one-point lead by halftime (39-38) and punctuated the comeback with a 46-31 edge in the second half to run away with an 85-69 victory.
Terrence Shannon, the second-leading scorer in the country at 23.0 PPG, had a game-high 26 points. Forward Marcus Damask stole the show, becoming just the tenth player to record a triple-double in NCAA Tournament history (12 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists).
Illinois moved itself up to the #3 line thanks to a four-game win streak that culminated in a Big Ten Tournament championship. Shannon was phenomenal in the title game victory over Wisconsin, scoring 34 points in the Illini’s 93-87 win.
Saturday’s game with Duquesne will be a fascinating contrast in styles. The Dukes play at the 251st-fastest tempo in DI, while Illinois is 57th. Duquesne faced a moderately similar run-and-gun BYU offense last time out, but none of the top-13 teams in the A10 played at a top-100 tempo.
Expected Duquesne vs Illinois Line Movement
Illinois is the exact opposite type of opponent that Duquesne wants to face. Terrence Shannon loves to get out and run, while the Dukes want to play at a slow pace and get in their half-court defense as often as possible. On offense, Duquesne simply doesn’t have the speed or talent to run with a team like Illinois.
But bettors are going to be attracted to the long odds on the defensively-stout Dukes, and I expect this number to move towards Duquesne as tip-off on Saturday approaches.
In a surprising turn of events, the Illinois Fighting Illini have been listed as the favored team in the opening point spread against the Duquesne Dukes. This unexpected development has caught many college basketball fans off guard, as Duquesne was initially expected to be the stronger team in this matchup.
The Illinois Fighting Illini, led by head coach Brad Underwood, are coming off a successful season in which they made it to the NCAA Tournament. With key players returning and a strong recruiting class, the Illini are poised to have another successful season. Their depth and talent at every position make them a formidable opponent for any team.
On the other hand, the Duquesne Dukes are a solid mid-major program that has been steadily improving over the past few years. Led by head coach Keith Dambrot, the Dukes have a strong defensive presence and a balanced scoring attack. They have the potential to surprise many teams this season and make a run in their conference.
The opening point spread favoring Illinois over Duquesne may be due to a variety of factors, including the Illini’s recent success, their depth and talent, and the perception of their overall strength as a program. However, it is important to remember that point spreads are not always indicative of the actual outcome of a game, as upsets can and do happen in college basketball.
Regardless of the point spread, this matchup between Illinois and Duquesne promises to be an exciting and competitive game. Both teams have something to prove and will be looking to start their season on a high note. Fans can expect a hard-fought battle between two talented teams vying for an early-season victory.
