The Illinois Fighting Illini, ranked 13th, are gearing up to face the Penn Quakers in an exciting first-round postseason showdown. Entering as the No. 3 seed with a 24-8 record from the Big Ten, Illinois is eager to rebound after an overtime loss in their conference tournament. Meanwhile, the No. 14 seed Penn Quakers boast an 18-11 record, fresh off their Ivy League championship victory.
This matchup revives a familiar coaching rivalry, with Illinois head coach Brad Underwood squaring off against Penn's Fran McCaffery, a former Big Ten adversary. Penn's momentum is fueled by a stellar 40-point performance from forward TJ Power in their conference final. On the other hand, Illinois is banking on their wealth of postseason experience to move forward and potentially face the winner of the North Carolina-VCU game.
For fans ready to catch the action, here's what you need to know. The game is set for March 19, 2026, with a late-evening tip-off at 9:25 PM ET. The neutral-site battle unfolds at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, where Illinois is designated as the home team.
To watch the game live, tune into TNT for the national broadcast. For streaming options, viewers with cable can use the TNT app or website.
Additionally, HBO Max offers streaming via the B/R Sports Add-On. For those without cable, platforms like FuboTV, Sling, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and DIRECTV STREAM also carry TNT.
The odds are heavily in Illinois' favor, with a 96% win probability according to prediction market data from Kalshi. Penn faces an uphill battle with just a 4% chance of victory.
Illinois' experience and strong opening game history are key factors in their favor, while Penn hopes their hot three-point shooting continues to shine. As tip-off nears, the market sentiment clearly leans towards an Illinois victory.