Iowa vs. Illinois is one of the games to watch as the Big Ten women’s basketball tournament quarterfinals get underway. The No. 2 seed Hawkeyes (24-5) will face the No. 10 seed Fighting Illini (21-10) as they each try to get to the semifinals.
The Illini overcame multiple hurdles to reach the quarterfinal, beating Wisconsin in the first round and Michigan State in the second round. The Hawkeyes, on the other hand, are set to return to action after enjoying their double-bye.
Iowa vs. Illinois prediction
Bleacher Nation predicted a 76-68 victory for the Iowa Hawkeyes. These are the odds for the game, per Action Network.
Moneyline: Iowa -674, Illinois +538
Spread: Iowa -11.5 (-112), Illinois +11.5 (-112)
Total o/u: Iowa U 145.5 (-112), Illinois O 145.5 (-112)
The Hawkeyes’ superior defensive display is expected to see the team through a difficult matchup with the Fighting Illini.
Iowa vs. Illinois preview
Only a week ago, Iowa and Illinois faced off in a regular-season game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, as Iowa earned an 82-78 win. The Fighting Illini have not had much rest since the game. In addition to their final regular-season matchup with Minnesota, the Illini are coming off the back of two games in the Big Ten tournament.
Iowa can take advantage of fatigue that may be setting in for the Illini at this point. The Hawkeyes outshot Illinois from the field at 58% to 53%. However, they had difficulties shooting from beyond the three-point arc, only making two threes.
The Hawkeyes need to improve from beyond the arc to improve their chances of leaving this game victorious. After Hanna Stuelke suffered an elbow injury, many expected her back in time for postseason play. However, Coach Jan Jensen provided an assessment of the situation earlier this week.
“It’s a pretty severe elbow injury — the torque of it, the swelling, the range of motion, the pain, the length of time that it really takes an injury like this one to feel better, better,” Jensen said on Wednesday. “So she has not practiced. We’re trying to figure out when to try it.”
In Stuelke’s absence, the Hawkeyes will turn to Addie Deal and Journey Houston to lead their offense.
Where to watch Iowa vs. Illinois
The tip off is set for 6:30 p.m on Friday Mar. 6, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The game will air on BTN, with streaming options on Fubo and FoxSports.com.
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Edited by Kayode Akinwumi
