Illinois-Chicago vs. California prediction: Why California is favored to win NIT matchup [3/18/2026]

California will face Illinois-Chicago in NIT action at Haas Pavilion on Wednesday, beginning at 11:00 PM ET.

Based on the latest simulations, Dimers' advanced college basketball model predicts California as the most likely winner of the Illinois-Chicago vs. California game.

This article offers an expanded analysis of Wednesday's matchup, including an expanded look at the predicted score, best bets and picks.

Illinois-Chicago vs. California prediction: Who will win NIT matchup?

Using innovative machine learning and data, we have simulated the outcome of Wednesday's NCAA basketball game between Illinois-Chicago and California 10,000 times as part of our men's college basketball predictions coverage.

Our famous predictive model gives California a 71% chance of defeating Illinois-Chicago. Our predicted final score has California winning 78-72.

According to our model, Illinois-Chicago (+6.5) has a 55% chance of covering the spread, while the over/under total of 150.5 points has a 51% chance of staying under.

Illinois-Chicago vs. California odds

We have sourced the best men's college basketball odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

Bet Type	Illinois-Chicago	California
Spread	+6.5 (-108)	-6.5 (-110)
Moneyline	+235	-275
Total	o150.5 (-110)	u150.5 (-105)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Illinois-Chicago vs. California picks and best bet

After matching our predictions against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

Bet Type	Pick	Bet Now
Spread	Illinois-Chicago +6.5	-108
Moneyline	Illinois-Chicago	+235
Total	Under 150.5	-105

According to our men's college basketball best bets, the top play to make on this game is Illinois-Chicago +6.5 at the spread.

These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the sportsbook odds.

Illinois-Chicago vs. California game-day updates and essential details

Wednesday's men's college basketball matchup between California and Illinois-Chicago at Haas Pavilion is scheduled to commence at 11:00 PM ET.

• Who: Illinois-Chicago vs. California
• Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2026
• Time: 11:00 PM ET/8:00PM PT
• Venue: Haas Pavilion

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Conclusion

We predict California, with a 71% win probability, will likely beat Illinois-Chicago this men's National Invitational Tournament matchup.

AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate Illinois-Chicago vs. California insights, with human oversight ensuring high editorial quality. Our predictions are drawn from the latest data to help you make informed decisions. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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