Illini to play UConn in school's first Elite 8 matchup since 2005: What you need to know
CHICAGO (CBS) – The Illinois men's basketball team will play in an Elite 8 matchup for the first time since 2005 on Saturday against defending national champion UConn.
This comes after Illinois' 72-69 win in the Sweet 16 over Iowa State on Thursday. The top-seeded Huskies defeated San Diego State 82-52 in their semifinal game.
How to watch the game:
- Match: No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 1 UConn
- Location: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
- Date/Time: Saturday, March 30, 5:09 p.m.
- TV: TBS/Tru TV
Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. has recorded three straight NCAA Tournament games with 20 or more points, matching the school record. Thursday's 29-point outing was Shannon's seventh-straight 20-plus-point game. He also became the first player in school history to score at least 25 points in three straight tournament games.
Senior forward Coleman Hawkins has scored in double figures in all three NCAA Tournament games.
He and the Illini said there is no pressure on them as they've flown under the radar, while the Huskies will try to become the first team since Florida in 2007 to win back-to-back national championships. Hawkins said he's fine with his team not getting the attention at this point.
"I don't take it personal at all. I think it's good for us because we don't really need it and the attention will come when you're the No. 1 team holding up the trophy and all the eyes are on you," he said. "So it's not really the time right now to want to have the attention, if I'm being honest with you. The attention will come when the job is finished."
Still, UConn has beaten its last nine NCAA Tournament opponents, going back to last year, by at least 13 points.
"We both gonna battle," said Illinois guard Justin Harmon. "We're really kind of the same teams, if you really look at it, like they offensive rebound really hard. We offensive rebound really hard and we both can score really well. So it's gonna be a really good game."
Even as they've prepared for the next game, the fun-loving Illini team refuses to water down just how significant each win - even if that means a shirtless Coach Brad Underwood firing a water gun in the locker room, as his players do the same. This did, in fact, happen after Illinois beat Iowa State on Thursday night.
"That was a disgusting scene, I'm sure," Underwood said in a deadpan tone. "For all the fans and social media, I apologize."
"He gets the rep of being a hard-nosed guy, but you know, on the inside, he's really kind of soft," said Illini guard Marcus Domask. "He's kind of soft on the inside."
"I've never been called that in my life, Marcus!" Underwood said while seated with the players at the same table for a news conference.
This is the fifth time in program history that Illinois has advanced to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament since the tournament expanded to 32 teams in 1975.