Mar 27, 2026
3 min read
SportsLine Model unveiled the Illinois v Houston pick for the 2026 NCAA Sweet 16 on Thursday.
Illinois vs Houston odds, season, predictions Madness Madness: 2026 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 picks high quality
The SportsLine model simulated the Illinois Fighting Illini against the Houston Cougars and revealed its college basketball picks for the 2026 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 matchup on Thursday.
Illinois - The third-seeded Illini will face the second-seeded Houston Cougars in a 2026 NCAA South Region Sweet 16 matchup on Thursday.Illinois is coming off a 76-55-88 second-round win over VCU on Saturday in the second round, while Houston defeated Texas A&M 88-57 on Saturday.in the last five games.The Cougars (30-6), ranked second in the Big 12, have won four of five games.
An advisory from Toyota Center Houston is set for 10:05 p.m.ET.The all-time series is split 3-3 as the programs meet for the first time since 2022. The Cougars are 2.5-point favorites in the latest Illinois vs. Houston odds. While the over/under for total points scored is 139.5, the Coogs were -141 on the moneyline (gamble $141 to win $100) before picking Houston vs. Houston.Illinois.See Illinois vs. Houston predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every basketball game 10,000 times.He entered the 2026 Sweet 16 on a sizzling 11-1 run on his top-rated over/under college basketball picks dating back to last season, and is on a 28-22 run on top-rated CBB site picks.
Now the model has simulated the Illinois vs. Houston game 10,000 times and has just revealed its college basketball picks and predictions.You can go to SportsLine now and see the models' offers.Here are more college basketball odds and college basketball lines for Illinois vs. Houston:
Illinois vs. Houston contest: |Houston -2,5 |
Illinois vs.Houston Over/Under: |139.5 points |
Illinois vs. Houston Money Line: |Houston -141, Illinois +118 |
Illinois vs. Houston pick: |See the picks at SportsLine
Illinois vs. Houston TV: |TBS |
Illinois vs.Houston forecast
After 10,000 simulations of Illinois vs. Houston, SportsLine's model has the overall advantage (139.5 points).All of Illinois' last three games have gone over the last four.Houston's last game also came via a walkover.The Illini are 10-2 in their last 12 games, starting Thursday.
The Illini draft model has four players scoring 12 or more points, including Keaton Wagler, who is projected to score 15.7 points.The Cougars are projected to have three players score 12 or more points, led by Emanuel Sharp, who is projected to score 16.2 points.The model projected 149 points combined while Over erased in 74.3% of simulations.You can request the Pick spread at SportsLine.
How to pick Illinois vs Houston
Now, the model has simulated every feature of the Illinois vs. Houston game 10,000 times, and one broadcast has hit more than 50% of the comparisons. You can see this option exclusively at SportsLine.
So who wins Illinois vs. Houston, and which side of the margin hits more than 50% of the time?Visit SportsLine now to see the side spread Illinois vs. Houston back, all from an advanced model that just simulates this game 10,000 times, and find out.
