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by Dan Angell in NCAA Basketball Picks
The Duquesne Dukes (25-11 SU, 19-16 ATS) attempt to keep their Cinderella run going against the Illinois Fighting Illini (27-8 SU, 20-13-2 ATS). The Dukes have won nine consecutive games to get to this point, and they looked excellent in shutting down Brigham Young in their first-round victory. They’ve done it mostly with defense, as only one team has breached the 70-point barrier in their current winning streak.
However, Illinois also comes in hot and has won eight of its past nine games. The Illini’s only loss in those games came against No. 1 seed Purdue, and they claimed their second Big Ten tournament title in four years. They rank second in the nation in offensive efficiency, and they tend to play inside. Terrence Shannon and Coleman Hawkins have carried the Fighting Illini in this stretch, and the duo could represent a bad matchup for Duquesne’s defense.
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Duquesne vs Illinois Form
Duquesne and Illinois Latest Matches
1/1 (100%)
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Mar 21, 2024 - NCAA Basketball
1/1 (100%)
0/1 (0%)
Mar 21, 2024 - NCAA Basketball
Duquesne - Illinois Key Points
- The under has cashed in eight of Duquesne’s past nine games.
- The Dukes have gone 8-1 ATS in their past nine games.
- The over is 10-1 in Illinois’ past 11 victories.
- The over has cashed in 13 of Illinois’ past 15 games.
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Our Duquesne vs Illinois Prediction
The Fighting Illini are surging on offense. They struggled initially against Morehead State, but eventually got their legs under them and pulled away for a comfortable win. The Fighting Illini also seem to have taken a lesson from their last early flameout. Since losing to Loyola-Chicago in the 2021 NCAA tournament, the Illini have not lost to anyone outside of the Power 6 conferences.
Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot has announced his retirement at the end of the season, and his team seems to want to delay his exit as long as possible. But the Dukes send teams to the foul line far too often, and Illinois’ aggressive low-post play isn’t a good combination with a foul-heavy defense. Duquesne might frustrate Illinois for 30 minutes, but the Dukes probably can’t stay with the Illini for the full game. Our prediction for Duquesne vs. Illinois is Illinois -9.5
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