Illinois vs Houston: Sweet Sixteen Showdown

0:00On March 25th, Illinois fighting, Ilini and Houston Cougars are locked in for a Sweet 16 showdown on Thursday at 9.05pm, Central Time, on TBS. Both teams advance with ease, as the Ilini roll past the Quakers and Rams, while the Cougars handled Idaho and Texas A&M without breaking A. Sweat. These matchups feel way too strong for this stage, with both programs sitting in the top five of Sweet 16 power rankings. It is like an Elite 8, or even Final 4 battle happening early in Houston's Toyota Center. Illinois fans are crying foul over drawing the Cougars here, calling it borderline unfair. But head coach Brad Underwood is brushing it off, staying focused on the game ahead. Houston is built a powerhouse under coach Kelvin Samson in recent years, yet they are not known for massive, rowdy crowds. Meanwhile, Ilini supporters have a strong reputation for traveling well to big games. Expect more local Houston fans in the stands, but it will not create a true home court edge, like some other neutral side thrillers we have seen.

1:05Lately, this one shapes up as a pure test of Hoops talent.