Illinois vs VCU: Sweet Sixteen Showdown

0:00On March 20th, Illinois grabbed a convincing 105-70 win over Penn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The third-seated Illinois dominated from start to finish in Greenville, South Carolina. Meanwhile, 11-seated BCU pulled off an 82-78 overtime upset against sixth-seated North Carolina, setting up a... second-round class with Illinois on Saturday at 6.50pm Central Time. BCU enters as Atlantic Ten Shamps and carries a Cinderella vibe from their deep run 15 years ago under shock of smart. Now with first-year coach Phil Martelli Jr., the Rams showed grit by erasing a 19-point deficit against North Carolina, the biggest comeback, in tournament first-round history. Illinois coach Brad Underwood praised his team's focus after shutting down Penn's top score. Fans and analysts see the Elini as favorites to reach the sweet 16. But BCU's bench spark, like Terrence Hill Jr.'s 34 points, adds.

1:02Excitement to the match-up. Key challenges ahead include Illinois Guard, Kyle and Boswell locking down BCU's quick guards who hit big threes in their win. The Elini also needs to protect late leads, given BCU's relentless comebacks, and stay foul-free against the Ramsquad that loves the free-throw line. With Illinois Stingy defense limiting opponents' free-throws all season, this game could hinge on discipline and physical play. Expect a tense battle as both teams chase a spot in the second weekend.