Illinois’ keys to winning vs. VCU in second round NCAA Tournament game
Need this one.
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 19: Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini speaks with Jake Davis #15 during the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images Penn was undermanned, and undersized, and — obviously — not as good as Illinois on Thursday night in the Illini’s 105-60 first-round NCAA Tournament win. It gets more challenging now against No.
11 VCU on Saturday night. Don’t let the 11-seed blind you; this team is good. Illinois opened on FanDuel Sportsbook as a 10.
5-point favorite ahead of the 6:50 p. m. CT matchup on CBS.
Here’s what we know, and three things Illinois needs to do to advance to its second Sweet 16 in three seasons. Protect the Ball This is usually a pretty good key to any game, but especially against a team like VCU that likes to force turnovers and cause some pressure. They have the 100th-most steals per game this season at 7.