Illinois vs VCU: Size Showdown in NCAA Tournament

0:00On March 20, Illinois faces Virginia Commonwealth University in the second round of the NCAA Tournament South Region. The number 3 seed, fighting Illinois with a 25 and 8 record, take on the number 11 seed Rams, who stand at 27 and 7. The game tips off Saturday, March 21, around 6.50pm, central time, at Bonsocores Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. You can catch it live on CBS. Earlier this season, Illinois built a brutal, non-conference schedule against powerhouses, like Texas Tech, Alabama, Yukon, and Tennessee, all now top, seeds in the tournament. That tough prep has the Elini clicking now, especially after showing they can adjust on the fly in their first round win over Penn. Meanwhile, VCU pulled off a stunning second half come back in overtime victory against North Carolina on Thursday, proving their grit. The teams last met back in December 2016, when Illinois dominated with a 64-46 win at a holiday tournament.

1:03Coaches have turned over since then, with Brad Underwood molding Illinois into a potential yearly contender, while VCU's Phil Martelli Jr. wrapped. A strong debut by winning the Atlantic 10. Watch for Rams, Big Man, David Mercovitch, who's dropped 29 points and grabbed 17 boards in just 28 minutes against Penn, showing elite skill without needing big hops. Illinois holds a clear-size edge inside, and if they feed their posts like Mercovitch and a visit consistently, they should advance deep into March. Madness.