Preview: Illinois to meet VCU with ticket to Sweet 16 on the line
GREENVILLE, S. C. (WCIA) – Illinois men’s basketball is seeking its second trip to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament in the Brad Underwood era.
The Illini, fresh off a dominant win vs Penn in the round of 64, will play VCU on Saturday. “I hope that we are going to just be be locked in for the course of 40 minutes,” Illinois freshman forward Mirkovic said on Friday. “And I would say we’re in a good place.
” Mirkovic impressed in his NCAA Tournament debut on Thursday, pairing 29 points with 17 rebounds. VCU is 28-7 overall and completed a 19-point comeback to beat North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, after beating Dayton in the Atlantic 10 Championship to earn the league’s automatic bid. The Rams are led by Terrence Hill Jr.
, who averages 14. 9 points per game and scored 34 in their recent overtime win against the Tar Heels. Saturday’s game is set for a 6:50 p.
m. CT tip-off on TNT. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc.