NCAA Tournament Odds: Sharps Betting Xavier vs. Illinois

NCAA Tournament Odds: Sharps Betting Xavier vs. Illinois article feature image
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Illinois Fighting Illini Guard Tre White (22)(Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

A couple over/under picks for Friday in the NCAA Tournament are taking sharp, market-moving bets.

In the afternoon window, the Colorado State Rams face off against the Memphis Tigers on March 21, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET. The Rams, with a 25-9 record this season, face the AAC Tournament winners, who boast a 29-5 record. Bet Labs' big bet tracker shows clear odds movement ahead of the tight-lined tilt, particularly the combined total points.

Meanwhile, in the late window, the Xavier Musketeers draw the Illinois Fighting Illini at 9:45 p.m. ET. This Round of 64 game features two teams with explosive potential, especially after Xavier’s high-scoring win over Texas in the First Four.

Head coach Sean Miller will rely on Xavier's 3-point prowess, where they boast a top-10 national mark, making better than 39% of their shots from beyond the arc. On the other side, Brad Underwood leads Illinois, a team ranked 15th in Pace and capable of matching Xavier's offensive firepower. Coming into this tournament, Xavier holds a 22-11 record, going 19-14 against the spread, while Illinois is 21-12 with a 16-16-1 ATS performance. Notably, Illinois played to a 20-13 clip on the over/under this season, contrasting with Xavier's even 16-16 O/U mark.

Let's check out two notable over/under picks Friday attracting action from respected college basketball bettors.


NCAA Tournament Over/Under Picks: 2 Sharp Predictions Friday

The Colorado State vs. Memphis total is on its way