Illinois vs Houston live updates: Prediction, time, how to watch Sweet 16 game

Tonight’s Sweet 16 game between Houston and Illinois will be a home game for the Cougars, but UH players don’t expect that to matter much.

“Last year we played Purdue in Indiana. It doesn’t really give you too much of an advantage, honestly,” Cougars guard Milos Uzan said. “Every team here is good, and, yeah, it doesn’t really give you too much advantage. I think we just continue with the same preparation and live with the results.”

March Madness: Sweet 16 games ranked

This could be the best game of the night. Illinois averages 85 points a game, while Houston is known for its defense. It will also feature two of the top freshmen in the country, Kingston Flemings for Houston and Keaton Wagler for Illinois, who both figure to go early in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The winner of tonight’s game advances to Saturday’s Elite Eight to face the winner of Nebraska vs. Iowa in the South Region’s other Sweet 16 game.

Here’s what you need to know about tonight’s game, including predictions:

HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.

Illinois vs Houston basketball live score

TEAMS	1H	2H	F
Illinois	—	—	—
Houston	—	—	—

What time is Illinois vs Houston Sweet 16 game today?

Tip-off is scheduled for 10:05 p.m. ET from Houston.

What channel is Illinois vs Houston game on? How to watch, streaming info

Houston vs. Illinois will air on TBS/truTV and stream via Fubo.

Houston vs Illinois prediction

Odds provided by BetMGM, as of noon, Thursday, March 26.

Austin Curtright: Houston
Moneyline: Houston (-165); Illinois (+135)

Is Andrej Stojakovic related to Peja Stojakovic?

Yes, Peja is his dad. Peja Stojakovic played 13 seasons in the NBA, primarily for the Sacramento Kings, and was a three-time All-Star.

Andrej played at Cal and Stanford before transferring to Illinois.

How many Europeans are on Illinois’ team?

David Mirkovic is from Montenegro
Andrej Stojakovic lists Thessaloniki, Greece as his hometown
Tomislav Ivisic is from Croatia
Zvonimir Ivisic is from Croatia
Mihailo Petrovic is from Serbia
Toni Bilic is from Croatia

Kingston Flemings 2026 NBA Draft, mock draft prediction

Utah Jazz at No. 5 overall.

Kalbrosky’s Analysis:

The Jazz currently have the worst defensive rating in the league but could potentially improve that by selecting Houston freshman Kingston Flemings. The All-Big 12 guard has several games when he has recorded at least three steals, notching eight against Arizona State earlier this season. He scored 42 points against No. 11 Texas Tech on Jan. 24 and had a strong performance against Baylor, recording 21 points with seven assists and two steals on March 4. With highs as high as his thus far, it will not take long for him to hear his name called on draft night.

See USA TODAY’s full mock draft here.

Kingston Flemings stats

(all stats as of March 15)

47.5% field goal percentage
39.2% three-point field goal percentage

Houston NCAA Tournament history (since 2014)

Most recent appearance: 2025
Best finish: National Championship

Keaton Wagler 2026 NBA Draft mock draft prediction

Atlanta Hawks, pick No. 7.

Kalbrosky’s Analysis:

After trading away Trae Young, the Hawks could find their point guard of the future in Illinois standout Keaton Wagler using a first-round pick they received from the Pelicans. The 19-year-old guard scored 46 points while shooting 9-of-11 on 3-pointers against No. 12 Purdue on Jan. 24. He projects as one of the best 3-point shooters in this class, shooting 41.0 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman this year. The Big Ten Rookie of the Year is a cerebral basketball player who is also averaging 4.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season.

Keaton Wagler stats

(all stats as of March 15)

44.6% field goal percentage
40.2% three-point field goal percentage

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Houston vs Illinois news, live updates, prediction, how to watch Sweet 16

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