Kentucky baseball vs Illinois prediction, odds for NCAA tournament regionals

LEXINGTON — Kentucky jumped to an eight-run lead Friday and then held on for a 10-8 win over Western Michigan in the opening game of the NCAA Tournament’s Lexington Regional.

Illinois never trailed in a 4-1 win over Indiana State in Friday’s nightcap.

Now, the Wildcats and Fighting Illini are set to square off Saturday.

UK, 41-14 on the season and the NCAA Tournament’s No. 2 overall seed, captured a share of the SEC regular-season title for only the second time. Illinois is a regular-season conference champ as well, winning the Big Ten for the first time since 2015.

Get to the game:  Looking for Kentucky baseball tickets in the Lexington Regional? Here are the best options for the 2024 NCAA Tournament

Here’s what to know about UK’s NCAA regional matchup against Illinois at Kentucky Proud Park, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. Saturday:

Kentucky baseball vs Illinois prediction in NCAA regional bracket

Kentucky 5, Illinois 4: On paper, this matchup is like splitting hairs. Illinois averages 8.2 runs per game; Kentucky is at 8.1. The expected starting pitchers, UK’s Trey Pooser and Illinois’ Cooper Omans, have nearly identical rates in hits allowed per nine innings (7.01 for Omans, 7.14 for Pooser) and walks + hits per innings pitched — better known by its acronym WHIP — that has Pooser (1.18) slightly ahead of Omans (1.24). When teams are this evenly matched, give the most infinitesimal of edges to the squad playing in its home venue. In this case, that’s the Wildcats, who escape with a one-run victory to improve to 2-0 at the regional.

Kentucky vs. Illinois odds in 2024 NCAA tournament

Odds courtesy of BetMGM. Odds will be updated as they become available.

Spread: N/A

Moneyline: N/A

Over/under: N/A

Kentucky baseball odds to reach 2024 College World Series BetMGM

Odds courtesy of BetMGM. Odds will be updated as they become available.

Kentucky: The Wildcats have the fifth-best odds at +1000 to win the College World Series, per BetMGM.

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Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.