These Penn vs. Illinois picks, odds & expert predictions doubt the Quakers' most March Madness-esque star on Thursday, March 19.
The Penn Quakers needed every heroic effort from TJ Power to reach the NCAA Tournament, and now, with his status in doubt, even that dreamy storyline is filled with doubt tonight against the Illinois Fighting Illini.
would have been skeptical of Power even if he was healthy, simply given the Illini’s overall edges on Thursday, March 19.Illinois’s greatest misstep this season has been losing as a 9.5-point favorite in overtime against Wisconsin, hardly something to thoroughly lament. There is absolutely no justification in thinking Penn will spring this upset.would usually scoff at this 3-pointers prop. He has cleared it in six straight games, shooting 54.9% in that stretch. Obviously, tired legs from any illness will make Power’s shots tougher, and the NCAA Tournament is notorious for over-inflating the balls, emphasizing the negative impacts of any contact with the rim on a long-range shot. Among these reasons to doubt Power’s shots, also recognize that Illinois is likely to slow down this game and cut into his possessions.Just less than half of Power’s points this season came from beyond the arc. If those shots are not falling, he is not a ripe candidate to create. Furthermore, Illinois hardly fouls opponents, leaving Powers with only inefficient hopes tonight.This is not the kind of Ivy League team that pulls a stunner. And this is not the kind of high seed that stumbles against an overlooked opponent. In the Illini’s 24 wins this season, they went 17-7 against the spread. Expect this to be a stifling blowout throughout.Before Power went nuclear to send the Ivy League title game into overtime, 13 straight Penn games had cashed their Unders. Find more: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links. Douglas Farmer spends his days thinking about college football and his nights thinking about the NBA. His betting habits and coverage follow that same pattern. He covered Notre Dame football for various outlets from 2008 to 2024, most notably spending eight seasons as NBC Sports’ beat writer on the Irish. That was also when his gambling focus took off. Knowing there were veteran beat writers with three decades more experience than he had, Douglas found his niche by best recognizing Notre Dame’s standing in each year’s national landscape, a complex tapestry most easily understood and remembered via betting odds. In 2021, that interest created a freelance opportunity with Covers, a role that eventually led to Douglas joining the company full-time in 2023. In the fall, Douglas will place five or six dozen bets each week, a disproportionate amount via BetRivers because the operator tends to have lines slightly different than the rest of the market. The same can be said of Circa Sports’ futures markets. While Douglas is an avid NBA fan and covers the league throughout the year, the vast majority of his bets are on college football, because that is the biggest key to sports betting: Know what you do not know.California Baptist vs Kansas Prediction, Picks & Odds for Friday's March Madness GameNorthern Iowa vs St. John’s Prediction, Picks & Odds for Friday's March Madness GameUtah State vs Villanova Prediction, Picks & Odds for Friday's March Madness GameTennessee State vs Iowa State Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's March Madness GameSaint Louis vs Georgia Prediction, Picks & Best Bets for Today's March Madness GameMarch Madness Expert Picks: Daily Best Bets and PredictionsIf you choose to make use of any information on this website including online sports betting services from any websites that may be featured on this website, we strongly recommend that you carefully check your local laws before doing so.It is your sole responsibility to understand your local laws and observe them strictly.Covers does not provide any advice or guidance as to the legality of online sports betting or other online gambling activities within your jurisdiction and you are responsible for complying with laws that are applicable to you in your relevant locality.Covers disclaims all liability associated with your use of this website and use of any information contained on it.As a condition of using this website, you agree to hold the owner of this website harmless from any claims arising from your use of any services on any third party website that may be featured by Covers.
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