Illini vs Houston: Battle for Sweet Sixteen

0:00On March 23rd, Illinois fighting, Elini punched their ticket to the sweet 16 with dominant wins over Penn by 35 points and VCU by 21. Now they face number two seed Houston in the South region matchup. And both teams roll through the first weekend, but this next game shapes up as a real test for the number three seeded Elini. Houston handled business easily too, beating 15th seeded Idaho by 31 and 10th seeded Texas A&M by the same margin. The Cougars play with top-notch discipline on defense and smart ball handling on offense under coach Kelvin Samson. Fans and analysts see Houston as the slight favorite here. ESPN's matchup predictor gives them a 59.5% chance to advance. Illinois boasts talent and size, but their inconsistent play late in the season raises doubts about sustaining a full 40 minutes. Houston brings back three starters from last year's national championship runner-up squad, plus standout freshmen. They match up well physically and play with steady effort every night.

1:02The game being in Houston adds home court energy for the Cougars. For Illinois to pull off the upset, they'll need their best version from tip to buzzer against this battle-tested team. Expect a gritty battle either way as both squads chase the spot in the Elite 8.