2026 Elite Eight odds, March Madness picks: Iowa vs. Illinois predictions from expert on 44-28 run

SportsLine's expert Bob Konarski reveals his Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Illinois Fighting Illini NCAA Tournament Elite 8 2026 picks for Saturday

The Elite Eight will have a Big Ten flavor when the ninth-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes meet the third-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini in a 2026 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, 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 X 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 Eight on a 44-28 run on college basketball spread picks, returning more than 13 units.

Now, Konarski has his sights set on Iowa vs. Illinois, and just revealed his Elite Eight picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Konarski's picks. Here are several men's college basketball odds and men's college basketball lines for Illinois vs. Iowa:

Iowa vs. Illinois spread:    

Illinois -6.5

Iowa vs. Illinois over/under:    

138.5 points

Iowa vs. Illinois money line:    

Illinois -311, Iowa +246

Iowa vs. Illinois picks:    

Iowa vs. Illinois TV:

TBS

Top Iowa vs. Illinois predictions

Konarski is going Over on the point total (138.5). Both teams have been on a roll, and are looking to reach the Final Four for the first time in more than 20 years. Iowa is seeking its first Final Four appearance since 1980, while Illinois last reached the Final Four in 2005, when it lost to North Carolina in the championship game. 

Two players average at least 10.4 points for Iowa, with Bennett Stirtz leading the way with 19.7 points. Illinois, meanwhile, is led by Keaton Wagler at 17.7 points per game as five Fighting Illini average at least 10.2 points. These teams combined for 144 points in the regular season, clearing the total in that matchup, and Konarski likes the Over in this spot as well. You can see his spread picks at SportsLine.

How to make Illinois vs. Iowa picks

Konarski has also found a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. You can only see that pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Illinois vs. Iowa in the 2026 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, and what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the expert on a 44-28 roll on his college basketball spread picks, and find out.