Henry Roldán
The duel between the Mocs and the Fighting will be one of those that we will have to have in sight for some possible surprise of the first round. Despite this seeded 13th in the South, Chattanooga is a very well-rounded team on both sides of the court and could complicate things for Illinois, who also had a great season in the Big Ten Conference.
Picks and Predictions for the Chattanooga Mocs vs Illinois Fighting Illini NCAA Basketball Championship Round 1 Game on March 18 2022
- Where: PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- When: Friday, March 18, 6:50 PM ET
- Betting Line: Chattanooga Mocs (+7.5) vs Illinois Fighting Illini (-7.5)
Chattanooga Mocs Betting Preview
- Overall Record: 27-7
- Conference Record: 14-4
- Spread: +7.5
- Over/Under: Over 135
- Moneyline: +265
After comfortably winning the Southern Conference, Chattanooga seems poised to become Cinderella. The Mocs are very talented, led by Malachi Smith and David Jean Baptiste, one of the best defenders in the tournament, and seem prepared to go head-to-head with any opponent.
Chattanooga is one of the most comprehensive mid-level teams out there, ranking in the top 100 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Their game creators allow this team to score anywhere on the court, and they recover at high speed, taking advantage of second chances.
The way to beat this team is on the perimeter. Their interior defense is below the nation’s average, as they focus on limiting outside shots. However, it is a fairly complete and dangerous team.
Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Preview
- Overall Record: 22-9
- Conference Record: 15-5
- Spread: -7.5
- Over/Under: Over 135
- Moneyline: -330
The Fighting are a very complete team and proof of this is that they ranked among the top 30 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. If you don’t believe me, Illinois fought Arizona, did two overtimes with Purdue and defeated Iowa and Wisconsin.
While Illinois struggles when faced with good centers or teams with solid interior defenses, the Mocs aren’t exactly the best in this area. Illinois shot from the perimeter less than 50% in all of their losses, though when they’re fully healthy they can do it all.
JefeBet Prediction
This will be a great duel in the South of the bracket. The two are very balanced teams on both sides of the court and experienced in the big dance. Illinois has the upper hand, but this time I’m leaving with the Chattanooga points.
