Let the madness continue! After the weekend’s eventful days of First Round action, we’ve got more talented players and potential Cinderella’s ready to dance in Round 2. #7 Illinois and #2 Vanderbilt face off Monday in the Women’s Second Round, with the Commodores entering as 12.5-point favorites and a total set at 152.5 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Let’s dive into my prediction and pick for Monday’s Second Round matchup, tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Illinois vs. Vanderbilt prediction
Enter the nation’s leading scorer: Mikayla Blakes. The 5’8” sophomore has been an absolute bucket for Vanderbilt, putting up 27.0 PPG, 4.4 APG, and 2.9 SPG this season. She can score at all three levels, create her own shot, and finish through contact, and while 36.1% from deep isn’t elite, it’s more than enough to keep defenses honest. What really separates her is the defensive impact, finishing top five in the SEC in steals and constantly disrupting the flow.
She showed exactly that in the first round, dropping 30 points on 68.7% shooting in a 102-61 blowout over High Point. And it wasn’t a one-woman show. Four other players hit double figures, with Aubrey Galvan adding 17, while Sacha Washington, Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda, and Ava Black combined for 32. Vanderbilt can score in waves, and backs it up, ranking eighth in the country in scoring (85.2 PPG) and 15th in field goal percentage (47%). Four players average double digits, and Justine Pissott stretches the floor at 42.3% from three. If they get rolling, they’re tough to slow down.
Illinois, though, has some firepower of its own. Despite being one of the youngest teams in the Big Ten, the Fighting Illini have shown they can hang, especially offensively. They’re coming off a 66-57 win over Colorado where Cearah Parchment led the way with 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting, with Berry Wallace and Destiny Jackson adding 18 and 16. Five players average double figures for Illinois, and they can really shoot it, with three players over 39% from deep and a team mark of 35.9%, top 15 nationally. If Illinois wants a shot, the three-ball has to fall. Because keeping up with Vanderbilt, and especially Mikayla Blakes, is a different kind of challenge.
Illinois vs. Vanderbilt prediction pick
94% of the bets on DraftKings Sportsbook are backing Vanderbilt, while just 6% are riding with the underdog Illinois. Plain and simple, it’s hard to go against the scoring firepower of Mikayla Blakes and the depth Vanderbilt brings around her.
Lean: Vanderbilt ML
