How to watch Illinois basketball in the Sweet 16: Who the Illini play and when
Which Big Ten team has the toughest path to the Final 4 | Chicago Sports Tonight
Illini basketball legend Deon Thomas and Fox Sports broadcaster Connor Onion joined Tina Nguyen on a jam-packed CST. The panel previews a huge slate of Sweet 16 matchups this week, including #3 seed Illinois heading down to Texas to take on the #2 seed Houston Cougars in the South Regional. Also, with 6 teams representing the conference in the Sweet 16, will a Big Ten team finally end the National Title drought? It's been 26 years since Tom Izzo's Spartans cut down the nets. Plus, Tina goes 1-on-1 with Illini freshman phenom Keaton Wagler.
The Madness of March is reaching a fever pitch.
The NCAA Tournament continues this weekend, and Illinois basketball is hoping to clinch a spot in the Final Four when all the dust settles.
First, however, will be the Sweet Sixteen. That pits the No. 3-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini against the No. 2-seeded Houston Cougars.
Here's how to watch the Illini against the Cougars, as Illinois basketball eyes a spot in the Elite Eight.
How to watch Illinois basketball vs. Houston
TV: TBS & TruTV
Stream: TruTV Live Stream
Radio: The Varsity Network
The Illini will get a classic lineup for March Madness.
Kevin Harlan will have the play-by-play call with Stan Van Gundy and Robbie Hummel serving as analysis on TBS and TruTV. Lauren Shehadi will be reporting from the sidelines.
Illini vs. Cougars start time
Date: Thursday, March 26
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Time: 9:05 P.M.
This will be a test for the Illini. They'll be playing in hostile territory.
It isn't often a team gets to play an NCAA Tournament game in its hometown, but the Cougars will get to play in downtown Houston at the Toyota Center. That's where the Houston Rockets usually play. Now, it'll play host to the Cougars and Illini with the Elite Eight on the line.
A boon for Illinois is how well the team played defense in the Round of 32. VCU only scored 55 against the Illini, who have struggled defensively in the last handful of games. They allowed 70 to Penn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 91 to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament and 72 to Maryland in the final game of the regular season.
Limiting VCU was also a massive step forward, as the Rams' smaller lineup didn't faze Illinois. Andrej Stojakovic scored 21 points off the bench in a performance that was a prime example of why the Illini sought after him in the transfer portal.
Houston, though, will be a much tougher test.
Kelvin Sampson has the Cougars playing at a national-title contending level. Houston boasts young talent and experienced players much like Illinois does. However, Houston played in the national championship game last season.
This season, Kingston Flemings, Emanuel Sharp, and Milos Uzan star for the Cougars on the offensive and defensive ends. The Illini should have the size advantage they usually have with 7-foot brothers Tomislac and Zvonimir Ivisic, and using it to defend the rim against Houston drives will be paramount.
The backstory:
Illinois and Houston have played each other recently in the NCAA Tournament.
The two squared off in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Houston was the No. 5 seed, and Illinois was the No. 4 seed. The Cougars won 68-53, ending Kofi Cockburn's Illinois career.
The difference in that game was that Illinois never had an offensive player that could hunt for a basket when Illinois needed one. This year, the Illini have multiple offensive-minded players they can turn to if they need points in dire moments. Stojakovic, Wagler and David Mirkovic are all players who have shown a penchant for creating offense for Illinois.
Houston is a great defensive team. The key is getting one of those aforementioned players to turn on their offensive prowess before the Cougars seize control of the game for good.