How to Watch: Iowa vs. Illinois NCAA Tournament Elite Eight

The Iowa Hawkeyes’ journey through the NCAA tournament is not over yet. After taking down the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Sweet 16, the team now has an opportunity to make the Final Four when it faces the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Elite Eight.

The contest is one of the most intriguing matchups of the season. Two Big Ten squads heading down to Houston to face off in a do-or-die clash with a trip to the Final Four on the line? That sounds like an awesome time! Anyone in their right mind would love to watch that on a weekend evening.

It would be amazing, of course, if all the Iowa and Illinois faithful could pack their bags and make the trek to the Toyota Center to witness the game in person. That’s obviously not feasible for the vast majority of fans, however, so the only option to watch or listen to the battle is to do so at home.

How to Watch No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 3 Illinois

Tip Time Secured.

⚠️ 5:09 pm (CT)
🕺 Elite 8
📍 Toyota Center pic.twitter.com/Vo3mBX9yyA
— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) March 27, 2026

Iowa’s bout with Illinois is scheduled to tip off at 5:09 p.m. CT at the Toyota Center in Houston. It’ll be televised on TBS and truTV, the third time in a row that the Hawkeyes have been available on those channels.

Just like with the Sweet 16 matchup against Nebraska, Kevin Harlan will have the play-by-play duties while Robbie Hummel and Stan Van Gundy provide color. Lauren Shehadi will be the sideline reporter.

How to Listen to No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 3 Illinois

Mar 26, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; The Iowa Hawkeyes mascot performs in the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the South Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

For anyone familiar with the Hawkeyes, knowing where to listen to the game is simple: Tune in to the Hawkeye Radio Network. Gary Dolphin and Bobby Hansen will be on the call, providing Iowa fans with the insight they know and love.

On a national scale, Westwood One will broadcast the game via radio. Spero Dedes and Fran Fraschilla, two of the most capable broadcasters in college basketball, will once again have the call on that platform.

The Biggest Game for Iowa This Century

Iowa has already taken down one Big Ten rival in its pursuit of a championship during March Madness, and now it’s time to do it again. As such, calling this game the biggest contest of the 21st century for the Iowa men’s basketball program is not hyperbole. Everything is on the line in this one. Watching it should be mandatory for all Iowa faithful throughout the country.

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