Illinois vs. Houston prediction, odds: 2022 NCAA Tournament picks, March Madness best bets from proven model

The 2022 NCAA Tournament continues on Sunday with an appetizing matchup between top-tier teams in the South Region. The No. 4 seed Illinois Fighting Illini take on the No. 5 seed Houston Cougars with a Sweet 16 berth on the line. Illinois survived a major scare in the opening round, beating Chattanooga by only a single point, and the Illini are 23-9 for the season. Houston is 30-5 overall after knocking off the UAB Blazers on Friday evening.

Tipoff is at 12:10 p.m. ET in Pittsburgh. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Cougars as 4.5-point favorites, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 133.5 in the latest Houston vs. Illinois odds. Before making any Illinois vs. Houston picks in the NCAA Tournament 2022, make sure you check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $1,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns. 

Now, the model has set its sights on Illinois vs. Houston and revealed its coveted picks and predictions for the NCAA Tournament 2022. You can head to SportsLine now to see all of the model’s college basketball picks. Here are several college basketball odds and betting lines Houston vs. Illinois:

• Houston vs. Illinois spread: Houston -4.5
• Houston vs. Illinois over-under: 133.5 points
• Houston vs. Illinois money line: Houston -200, Illinois +170
• HOU: The Cougars are 8-1 against the spread in the last nine games
• ILL: The Fighting Illini are 2-8 against the spread in the last 10 games

Why Houston can cover

The Cougars are excellent on both ends of the floor, ranking near the top of the country in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency. Houston is No. 10 in the nation in offense, producing at an elite level, and the Cougars dominate the offensive glass. Kelvin Sampson’s team secures 37.6 percent of its own missed shots, No. 4 in the nation, and Houston is shooting 55.1 percent on 2-point attempts. 

The Cougars are in the top 35 overall in shooting efficiency, including an above-average 3-point clip of 34.4 percent. Houston also takes care of the ball, committing a turnover on fewer than 17 percent of offensive possessions. The Cougars have only 6.3 percent of shots blocked, No. 9 in the country, and Illinois is near the bottom of the nation with a 7.2 percent block rate. Illinois also ranks outside the top 300 of the country in turnover creation rate (15.6 percent) and steal rate (7.5 percent).

Why Illinois can cover 

The Fighting Illini are strong on both ends of the floor with experienced guard play and a dominant focal point in Kofi Cockburn. Cockburn, an All-American center, is the team’s anchor in averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. He is also highly efficient, shooting approximately 60 percent from the field, and Cockburn is difficult for any opponent to stop near the rim. Illinois is a top-30 offensive team in the country as a result, with Cockburn and company producing an impressive offensive rebound rate of 33.2 percent.

Illinois is also lethal from long distance, making 36.3 percent of 3-point attempts to rank in the top 50 nationally. Brad Underwood’s team also shoots 51.6 percent on 2-point attempts, and Illinois is in the top 40 nationally in assist percentage. Illinois also takes care of the ball at a high level, committing a turnover on only 17.6 percent of offensive possessions this season.

How to make Houston vs. Illinois picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the point total, projecting 141 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.  

So who wins Illinois vs. Houston? And which side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.