8:39 AM EDT, Fri March 29, 2024
9 mins ago
Everything you need to know about the team standing between Illinois and a Final Four

Everything you need to know about the team standing between Illinois and a Final Four

TCR // David Pollak Bring on the Huskies. If your head is still ringing from Thursday night, here’s the cure: You weren’t dreaming. Illinois is in the Elite Eight. After reaching the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2005, they’re headed to the regional finals for the first time since then. Thursday’s game lived up to the billing. Illinois fought off Iowa State to continue dancing in what was touted as one of the most exciting matchups of the Sweet 16. The game had everything, a quick Illinois start, an Iowa State rally, Illini in foul trouble and yet...
7 hours ago
Illinois won a battle for the ages

Illinois won a battle for the ages

Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via The Illini are going to a place many students haven’t seen in their lifetimes. It was a fitting start to a game that took place on Major League Baseball’s official Opening Day. When Iowa State ripped Terrence Shannon on the first possession of the game, the narrative started, it was the equivalent of an elite starting pitcher giving up a home run on the first pitch of his biggest start of the season. Some of the best shake off those setbacks most of the time. Then you have the even rarer breed: the ones with the short...
7 hours ago
Illinois vs. Connecticut: Betting odds, spread, moneyline and more for 2024 NCAA Tournament

Illinois vs. Connecticut: Betting odds, spread, moneyline and more for 2024 NCAA Tournament

Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports Feeling good about the Illini? Thursday’s game against Iowa State was obviously more intense than the ones we saw last week in Omaha, but I think we’ll all take the Illini’s first Elite Eight appearance since 2005. However, the road is about to get even more challenging, facing top-ranked UCONN on Saturday night. We’ll have coverage for you leading up to tip here at TCR, but for now, we wanted to take some time to look at what DraftKings has already posted for the game in terms of wagering odds. Keep in mind: These things are...
7 hours ago
How To Watch No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 1 Connecticut: Game Time, TV Channel, Online Streaming and Odds

How To Watch No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 1 Connecticut: Game Time, TV Channel, Online Streaming and Odds

TCR // David Pollak One win from a Final Four. How to Watch No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 1 UCONN (NCAA Tournament Elite Eight) Game Time: 5:09 p.m. CT Saturday TV Channel: TBS/truTV Online Streaming: March Madness Live Location: TD Garden (Boston, MA) Radio: All Illinois basketball games air live on radio in the Champaign (WDWS-AM 1400) and Chicago (WLS-AM 890) markets. The game will also be broadcasted on other networks throughout the state; check the Fighting Illini Radio Network for more information. Odds: ILL +7.5 O/U 156.5 (according to DraftKings - Odds/lines are...
7 hours ago
TSJ, Illinois hang on against Iowa State to reach Elite Eight

TSJ, Illinois hang on against Iowa State to reach Elite Eight

David Pollak // TCR Unbelievable college basketball game. BOSTON — The Final Four is just one win away. In the first Sweet 16 appearance since 2005 for Illinois (the No. 1 offense according to Kenpom), it had to face off against an Iowa State team who was ranked as the No. 1 defense Thursday night at TD Garden. In what was seen coming as potentially the best matchup in the Sweet 16 — and a game which even turned into Iowa State’s style of play — Illinois survived against Iowa State in an absolute dogfight 72-69. But out the gates, it didn’t have the feel of a...
11 hours ago
Illinois fights off late rally, punches ticket to WBIT Final Four

Illinois fights off late rally, punches ticket to WBIT Final Four

Illinois Fighting Illini Athletics A milestone for Shauna Green and Illinois. TULSA, Okla. — With a shot at the WBIT Final Four at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the line, Illinois traveled to Tulsa with the same goal they’ve had since round one of the tournament: Go 1-0. The Illinois Fighting Illini (17-15) did just that, jumping out to a big early lead and doing enough to hold onto it until the end, winning 69-61 to advance to the semifinals over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (25-9). If you came into Thursday’s game being told that Makira Cook got into foul trouble and that...
Mar 28, 2024
‘We’re everyday guys’: Underwood details Sweet 16 mindset

‘We’re everyday guys’: Underwood details Sweet 16 mindset

TCR // Jack Jungmann The Illini are looking to capitalize on their first second weekend game since 2005. The time has come. Tonight, for the first time in 19 years, the Illini will be playing in the Sweet Sixteen. The excitement is building and this team has all the potential in the world. But carrying this run on to the next round will be far from an easy task. Standing in the way of an Elite Eight matchup is No. 2 seed Iowa State. The success of this team is built off hustle, athleticism, and not allowing opponents to score many points. “Now it’s on to a very good...
Mar 27, 2024
Styles make fights, and Illinois has more than a puncher’s chance

Styles make fights, and Illinois has more than a puncher’s chance

Photo by Jamie Squire/ Can the Illini overcome the gauntlet that is Iowa State’s defense? Not sure if you’ve heard this, but the top-ranked defense is playing against the top-ranked offense in Boston Thursday night. For just the 10th time since 2012 -- and the first since Dec. 17th, 2022 -- the #1 KenPom offense will play the #1 KenPom defense when Illinois and Iowa State face in Thursday's Sweet 16.Since 2012, the #1 offense is 4-5 vs. the #1 defense. https://t.co/3LgPgLtKWv pic.twitter.com/IGY435i0o1— Andrew Weatherman (@andreweatherman) March 27,...
Mar 26, 2024
Why Illinois will (and will not) make the Final Four

Why Illinois will (and will not) make the Final Four

Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports The Illini are just two wins away. Did you know Illinois is the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005? Oh, you did? Honestly, I’d be a little concerned if you didn’t know that and still found yourself reading this article. Anywho, with Illinois now heading to the Sweet 16 in Boston to take on Iowa State on Thursday night (Cyclones are a 2.5-point favorite, per DraftKings), the Illini are just two wins away from their first Final Four appearance in 19 years. DraftKings gives Illinois the third-best odds in the East Region to book a...
Mar 26, 2024
Edmond Ruth is the next great Illinois wrestler

Edmond Ruth is the next great Illinois wrestler

Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK The redshirt-junior earned All-American honors last weekend. The Illinois Fighting Illini fanbase may have been (understandably) a bit distracted over the past weekend, but the Illini basketball teams weren’t the only ones making history in the postseason. Edmond Ruth was one of three Illini to compete at the NCAA National Wrestling Championship in Kansas City on Saturday, alongside sophomore Danny Pucino and freshman Chris Moore. Seeded as the #3 wrestler in the 174-pound weight class, Ruth won his first two...
Mar 26, 2024
Terrence Shannon Jr. shines when the lights are the brightest

Terrence Shannon Jr. shines when the lights are the brightest

TCR // Jack Jungmann TSJ has been the definition of clutch. You can’t talk about Illinois basketball without starting with Terrence Shannon Jr. The fifth-year senior has been nothing short of incredible in his final year with the Illini. Shannon has DOMINATED since the end of the regular season. In postseason play, he is averaging 31.6 points, 3 rebounds and 2.8 assists over the course of five games. His efforts in the Big Ten Tournament won him Most Outstanding Player honors. In those three games, Shannon averaged 34 points on 47.4% shooting from the field and 45.5%...
Mar 25, 2024
Three keys to an Illinois win over Iowa State

Three keys to an Illinois win over Iowa State

TCR // Jack Jungmann The Illini certainly have a shot to knock off the Hawkeyes. Illinois puts its season on the line Thursday night (and likely into Friday morning) in Boston, but it’s going to take a little bit more for the Illini to pull off a win than it did last weekend. The Illini are coming off pretty comfortable wins over Morehead State and Duquesne, but No. 2 Iowa State is sure to be a whole different challenge at TD Garden. According to DraftKings, the Illini are 2.5-point underdogs. Here are three keys to a win to send Illinois to its first Elite Eight...
Mar 25, 2024
Illinois and Brad Underwood have a chance to rewrite their history

Illinois and Brad Underwood have a chance to rewrite their history

Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports The narrative has officially changed. The rest of the country has been put on notice. On this episode of the ‘Oskee Talk’ podcast I’m joined by TCR’s Pleas Honeywood to recap Illinois’ dominant path to the Sweet Sixteen (3:05) and TSJ’s historic stretch (38:36), as well as look ahead to Thursday’s matchup with Iowa State (55:57). We also discuss teams opting out of postseason tourneys (63:21) and women’s hoops’ run in the WBIT (79:50). We wrap up the show by spotlighting achievements in wrestling & men’s gymnastics...
Mar 25, 2024
Illinois vs. Iowa State: Betting odds, spread, moneyline and more for 2024 NCAA Tournament

Illinois vs. Iowa State: Betting odds, spread, moneyline and more for 2024 NCAA Tournament

TCR // Jack Jungmann Feeling good about the Illini? We didn’t have to sweat it out over the weekend, as Illinois disposed of Duquesne en route to the Illini’s first Sweet 16 appearance in nearly 20 years. Now the road appears to get a tad more challenging in Boston, with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line. We’ll have coverage for you all week here at TCR, but for now, we wanted to take some time to look at what DraftKings has already posted for the game in terms of wagering odds. Keep in mind: These things are fluid, so everything you’re about to read is...
Mar 25, 2024
Can Iowa State’s offense keep up with Illinois? Maybe.

Can Iowa State’s offense keep up with Illinois? Maybe.

Jack Jungmann // TCR The Cyclones haven’t lit up the scoreboard this year. A gift has been sent from the basketball gods with the first two rounds being 11 and 12 seeds (Morehead State and Duquesne). That doesn’t take away from what has been accomplished. It seems like the Sweet 16 is what all Illinois have been waiting for. Before the season, and for the last few seasons, my thought process has been “make the Sweet 16, and I’ll be happy.” I am happy. But I could be happier. The “tests” are over, but Iowa State is the real deal Jack...