This 8-9 matchup is expected to be one of the most tightly contested of the <a href="https://nypost.com/article/how-to-bet-on-march-madness/">NCAA Tournament’s</a> First Round.

Both teams expected to be better than their current seed. 

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The Hogs, at least, have injuries to blame, and now could threaten most teams in the field, with future lottery pick Nick Smith Jr. finding his form. 

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Under Eric Musselman — who took Nevada to the Sweet 16 in 2018 — Arkansas has reached the Elite Eight in back-to-back years.&nbsp;

<strong>The pick</strong>: Arkansas (-1.5) over Illinois (<a href="https://nypost.com/article/fanduel-sign-up-offer/">FanDuel</a>)

Why we’re picking Arkansas to cover as a slight favorite over Illinois during the NCAA Tournament.

Arkansas vs. Illinois prediction: March Madness first-round pick

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