Houston vs Illinois Prediction & Picks - NCAA Basketball

Prediction published on 3/26/26, 7:02 PM  by Travis Pulver | Modified on 4/14/26 at 6:27 AM in NCAA Basketball Picks

The Illinois Fighting Illini (26-8) will close out the first night of Sweet 16 action Thursday, March 26, when they take on the Houston Cougars () at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX. The game is scheduled to get underway at 10:05 p.m. EST.

If you just look at Illinois’ record, you don’t get an accurate picture of just how good this team is. The Illini are clearly a good team, entering the Tournament with a 24-8 record, but great or a contender? With that record? Probably not. But when you take a closer look and see that five of the losses were by a basket and four of them in overtime, and that six of their losses were to ranked teams, you have to reevaluate. Had one or two plays in each of those games gone their way, Illinois would have been a one-seed and in the national title conversation. Instead, they’re on the outskirts looking in, but a win over Houston would certainly put them front and center.

As for the Cougars, Houston is coming off an impressive win over Texas A&M in the second round. 88-57. The defense certainly stepped up, holding A&M to 35% from the floor and 25% from 3-point range, as the Cougars took a 46-28 lead into the break and never looked back.