Halftime Report
Illinois is on the highway however trying no worse for put on. They’re absolutely in management with a 50-26 lead over Duquesne.
Illinois entered the contest having gained 5 straight they usually’re only one half away from one other. Will they make it six, or will Duquesne step up and spoil it? We’ll know quickly.
Who’s Enjoying
Duquesne Dukes @ Illinois Preventing Illini
Present Data: Duquesne 20-11, Illinois 23-8
How To Watch
What to Know
The Duquesne Dukes and the Illinois Preventing Illini will face of within the second spherical of the NCAA Match at 8:40 p.m. ET on Saturday at CHI Well being Middle Omaha. Every of those groups might be preventing to maintain a win streak alive because the Dukes are available on 9 and the Preventing Illini on 5.
Duquesne earned some postseason bragging rights after a profitable outing on Thursday. They managed a 71-67 win over BYU.
Duquesne’s win was the results of a number of spectacular offensive performances. Probably the most notable got here from Dae Dae Grant, who scored 19 factors. Grant did not assist Duquesne’s trigger all that a lot in opposition to VCU on Sunday however the identical cannot be stated for this match. Jakub Necas was one other key contributor, scoring 12 factors together with six rebounds and three blocks.
Illinois meant enterprise on Thursday, getting buckets from everywhere in the courtroom in opposition to a Eagles squad that has allowed simply 63.43 factors per contest. Illinois strolled previous Morehead State with factors to spare, taking the sport 85-69. Successful is a bit simpler when you’re employed as a group to put up ten extra assists than your opponent, because the Preventing Illini did.
Dain Dainja and Terrence Shannon Jr. had been among the many essential playmakers for Illinois as the previous scored 21 factors together with eight rebounds and two blocks and the latter scored 26 factors together with two steals and two blocks. Shannon Jr. is on a roll in the case of factors, as he is now scored 25 or extra within the final 5 video games he is performed. The group additionally received some assist courtesy of Marcus Domask, who dropped a triple-double on 12 factors, 11 rebounds, and ten assists.
Duquesne has been performing extremely properly just lately as they’ve gained 11 of their final 12 video games, which offered a pleasant bump to their 25-11 report this season. As for Illinois, their win bumped their report as much as 27-8.
Duquesne is hoping to beat the percentages on Saturday, because the consultants assume they’re headed for a loss. For these trying to play the unfold, be careful: Duquesne is anticipated to win, however their 9-14 report in opposition to the unfold as such is not precisely encouraging.
Odds
Illinois is a giant 10.5-point favourite in opposition to Duquesne, in response to the most recent faculty basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a great really feel for the road for this one, as the sport opened with the Preventing Illini as a 9.5-point favourite.
The over/underneath is 148 factors.
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