What channel is Illinois vs. Iowa on today? Time, TV schedule, live stream to watch March Madness Elite Eight

What channel is Illinois vs. Iowa on today? Time, TV schedule, live stream to watch March Madness Elite Eight originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

For the first time since 2019, conference rivals will collide in the Elite Eight when Illinois and Iowa meet on Saturday evening.

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The Fighting Illini advanced to the regional final after a dominant 65–55 win over No. 2 seed Houston in the Sweet 16, a defensive masterclass that held the Cougars to just 34% shooting. Leading the charge for Illinois was All-America freshman Keaton Wagler, who continues to cement his status as a projected top-10 NBA pick. Wagler notched a double-double against Houston with 13 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, joining teammate David Mirkovic to become the first freshman duo in NCAA Tournament history to record double-doubles in the same game.

Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes enter the Elite Eight as the tournament’s ultimate bracket-buster under first-year head coach Ben McCollum. After upsetting No. 1 Florida in the second round, No. 9 Iowa pulled off another thriller by defeating No. 4 Nebraska 77–71. Alvaro Folgueiras will likely be a highlight of the “One Shining Moment” montage after his late-game 3-pointer to knock off the defending champion Gators and a critical “and-one” dunk that sealed the Sweet 16 win over the Huskers.

Both teams look to make history come Saturday night. Illinois is looking to advance to the Final Four for the first time since its legendary 2005 run, while Iowa is seeking its first Final Four berth in 46 years.

Here’s what you need to know about Saturday’s matchup between Illinois and Iowa, including broadcast information and start time.

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What channel is Illinois vs. Iowa on today?

Illinois vs. Iowa will air on TBS and truTV. Kevin Harlan, Robbie Hummel and Stan Van Gundy will be on the call, and Lauren Shehadi will serve as the sideline reporter.

Fans looking to stream Illinois vs. Iowa can watch live on DIRECTV.

Catch every game of March Madness — try DIRECTV FREE today! Stream live college basketball, soccer, MLB and more with must-have sports channels like TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, FS1 and NFL Network — all included with DIRECTV.

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What time is Illinois vs. Iowa today?

• Time: 6:09 p.m. ET | 5:09 p.m. CT

The NCAA tournament game between Illinois and Iowa is set to tip off at 6:09 p.m. ET from the Toyota Center in Houston.

Illinois vs. Iowa radio coverage

Listen to every game of the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament live on SiriusXM. The Illinois vs. Iowa broadcast will be available on channel 202.

New subscribers can listen to SiriusXM for free for four months. Listen to live NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.

March Madness bracket 2026

Check the Sporting News NCAA Tournament live bracket for the latest final scores and next-round matchups.

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When and where is the Final Four in 2026?

• Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

The 2026 Men’s Final Four is set for April 4 and 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The semifinals will be played Saturday night, and the national championship game is set for Monday night.

The home of the Indianapolis Colts previously hosted the event in 2010, 2015 and 2021 and is set to host again in 2029. Indianapolis previously hosted the Final Four at other facilities in 1980, 1991, 1997, 2000 and 2006.

Only Kansas City has been home to the Final Four more often (10 times), but the last one held there was in 1988.

March Madness tournament schedule 2026

Here is the round-by-round schedule for the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament:

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