Illini Face Vanderbilt in NCAA Showdown

0:00On March 23rd, the 7th seeded Illinois women's basketball team punched their ticket to the second round of the NCAA tournament with a solid. 66-57 win over 10 seeded Colorado on Saturday night. Now they face a tough 2nd seeded Vanderbilt squad on Monday, March 23rd, with a spot in the Sweet 16 up for grabs. Vanderbilt made quick work of high point in their opener, winning 102-61, and they'll host the game at Memorial Gymnasium in. Nashville. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. Central Time, giving the Commodores the edge of their home crowd and familiar court. Undercoach Shana Green, the Illinois have shown real grit this March, defending smartly and staying cool under pressure. It's their second straight trip to the round of 32, signaling this program is building momentum after years on the rise. The teams haven't met since 1988, when Illinois-edged Vanderbilt 73-68 in Champagne, leaving the all-time, series tied at one game apiece.

1:01But with the women's game evolved so much since then, this feels like a fresh battle. Tune in on ESPN 2 for the broadcast, or cast a radio call on Alini Sports Network affiliates like WDWS 93.9 FM in Champagne. A win here sends Illinois deeper into the Fort Worth Regional, testing if they can keep the run going strong.