The No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini and No. 2 Iowa State Cyclones meet for a Sweet 16 battle in the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Thursday night.
Illinois (28-8) will look to keep its long-awaited run alive, reaching the Sweet 16 round for the first time in 19 years. The Cyclones have a great deal of momentum on their side, coming off a dominant 89-63 win over the Duquesne Dukes in the second round. Meanwhile, Iowa State (29-7) booked its second Sweet 16 appearance in its last three seasons by overcoming No. 7 Washington State with a 67-57 victory led by Tamin Lipsey who scored 15 points with five rebounds in the high-pressured contest.
MORE MARCH MADNESS
Iowa State poses a defensive challenge for Illinois as the Cyclones have risen to the occasion and subdued opposing offenses like BYU through their March Madness run. If able to maintain their efficiency, the Cyclones could be on their way to book a long-awaited date with either No. 1 UConn or No. 5 San Diego State. Iowa State hasn't reached the Elite Eight since 2000 when they fell to Michigan State.
FanDuel Sportsbook listed Iowa State as a 1.5-point favorite to advance to the Elite Eight. The Cyclones also have +2300 odds to be crowned national champions this year.
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Here’s how you can watch the Illinois-Iowa State matchup:
When: Thursday, March 28 at 10:09 p.m. ET
TV: TBS/truTV
Live Streams: Max
Featured image via William Purnell/USA TODAY Sports Images