The No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini will take on the No. 1 Connecticut Huskies in the Elite Eight of the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Saturday. This East Regional final will take place at the TD Garden in Boston at 6:09 p.m. ET and will air on TBS/TruTV.
Illinois (29-8) took down No. 2 Iowa State in a 72-69 victory on Thursday, advancing to the program’s first Elite Eight appearance since 2005. The Illini rolled from the opening tip, never trailing in the contest while holding the Cyclones to just 39.7% shooting. Terrence Shannon Jr. had another big game, leading the team with 29 points, five rebounds, and three steals.
UConn (34-3) continued its quest for a second straight national championship on Thursday, bashing No. 5 San Diego State 82-52 in a rematch of last year’s national title game. Holding a nine-point lead at the start of the second half, the Huskies put their feet on the necks of the Aztecs by piling it on down the stretch. Stephon Castle stepped up with 16 points and 11 rebounds in the win. UConn became the first defending champion to reach the Elite Eight since 2007 Florida, who’d go on to repeat as champs.
2024 March Madness: Illinois vs. UConn odds from DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: UConn -7.5
Over/Under: 156.5
Moneyline: UConn -325, Illinois +260