The No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini will take on the No. 14 Morehead State Eagles in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Here’s a look at how both teams fared during the regular season ahead of their matchup, along with odds for the contest.
Illinois Fighting Illini
NET: 15
KenPom Overall: 10
KenPom O: 4
KenPom D: 81
Record: 26-8
Strength of Schedule: 28
Conference: Big Ten
Conference Record: 14-6
Quad 1 Record: 8-6
Illinois returns to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year. The Illini have seen early exits in recent March appearances – the last time the program reached the Sweet Sixteen was in 2005. Last season, they departed in the first round with a loss to Arkansas in an 8-9 seed matchup.
The Fighting Illini fell short against Purdue twice this season, but they took care of the rest of the Big Ten for a 14-6 conference record and a 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Led by Terrence Shannon Jr, Illinois averaged 83.9 points per game (10th in the nation) during the regular season. The team grabbed 41.4 rebounds per game (4th in the nation).
Morehead State Eagles
NET: 106
KenPom Overall: 111
KenPom O: 124
KenPom D: 120
Record: 26-8
Strength of Schedule: 319
Conference: OVC
Conference Record: 14-4
Quad 1 Record: 0-2
Morehead State earned the Ohio Valley Conference’s automatic bid after a championship win over top-seeded Little Rock. The Eagles entered the conference tournament as the third seed, and earned wins over SIUE and UT Martin, as well. Morehead State most recently appeared in March Madness in 2021.
The Eagles are 0-2 against Quad 1 opponents this season. They shot 55.4% from the two-point range this season, ranking in the top 25 in the nation. The Eagles’ defense was a strong suit, as they kept opponents to 65.7 points per game (18th in the nation).
2024 March Madness: Illinois vs. Morehead State odds
Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: Illinois -13.5, Morehead State +13.5
Over/Under: 148.5
Moneyline: Illinois -1000, Morehead State +650