The three-seed Illinois Fighting Illini (26-8) take on the 14-seed Morehead State Eagles (26-8) in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. As part of the East Region, the game will take place in Omaha, Nebraska, on Thursday at 3:10 PM ET. Illinois enters March Madness on fire, winning seven of their last eight games, including the Big Ten title game against Wisconsin. Morehead State won the Ohio Valley Conference tournament and was actually the first team to book their ticket to the big dance. Will they start their Cinderella run right here, or will Illinois’ size and offensive firepower prove to be too much to overcome?
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Morehead State Eagles Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | Money Line |
| Illinois Fighting Illini | -11.5
-105 |
O 146.5
-110 |
-800 |
| Morehead St. Eagles | +11.5
-115 |
U 146.5
-110 |
+550 |
| **Odds Courtesy of DraftKings** | |||
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Morehead State Eagles Game Details
- Fixture: Illinois Fighting Illini vs Morehead State Eagles
- Date and Time: March 21, 2024 @ 3:10 pm ET
- Location: CHI Health Center Arena; Omaha, NE
Apex Tale of the Tape
| Illinois | Vs. | Morehead St. |
| 26-8 | Record | 26-8 |
| 84.4 | Points Per Game | 75.5 |
| 47.1 | FG% | 46.9 |
| 35.0 | 3PT% | 36.1 |
| 41.3 | Rebounds Per Game | 39.4 |
| 73.8 | Points Allowed Per Game | 62.8 |
| 43.2 | Defensive FG% | 38.9 |
| 34.3 | Defensive 3PT% | 29.6 |
| 74.5 | FT% | 70.5 |
| 22.9 | Defensive Rebounds Against | 21.1 |
| 4-1 | Last 5 W-L | 5-0 |
| 72.7 | Team Pace | 67.3 |
Key Stats
Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois flat-out knows how to score. They ranked 11th in the nation in points per game, led by standout Senior Guard Terrence Shannon Jr., who averaged the third most points per game in all of college basketball this season with 23.0 per contest. He’s joined by fellow Senior Coleman Hawkins, a 6’10” Forward who can defend every position and rain threes.
Morehead State Eagles
Morehead State is no easy out. Not only do they have a 20-point scorer of their own in Senior Guard Riley Minix, but they can really defend. The Eagles allowed the eighth fewest points per game in the country this season at 62.8 ppg. They also held opponents to a field goal percentage of 38.9% and a three point percentage of just 29.6%. Both of those statistics were in the top 10 in the nation and were first in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Injury Report
Illinois Fighting Illini
- Max Williams – Out
Morehead State Eagles
- None
Game Prediction
This is a classic matchup of elite offense versus elite defense. The Illinois Fighting Illini possess the real size and the ability to score all over the floor, while the Morehead State Eagles have the ability to lock down teams, especially from beyond the three-point line. Though I think Illinois’ strength and star power from Terrence Shannon Jr. will ultimately prevail, there’s no way Morehead State makes this easy for them. I’m going with Illinois to win the game, but Morehead State to cover the 11.5 spread.
Final Pick
Morehead State +11.5, Under 146.5
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Daniel Willon is a sportswriter based in Southern California. A lifelong Chargers, Lakers, and UCLA fan, he’s covered everything from football to surfing. Follow him on X @dwillsports.
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