The Champaign Room
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Mirkovic’s monster tourney debut lifts Illinois past Penn
GREENVILLE, SC — And we’re off. David Mirkovic (29 points, 17 rebounds) and No. 3 Illinois won a NCAA Tournament game for the third consecutive season in a 105-70 victory over Fran McCaffery and No. 14 Penn on Thursday night in Greenville, South Carolina. The Fighting Illini (25-8) now book a date with No. 11 […]
Jason Kelce has a comment about Illinois Basketball
Hi, Jason Kelce. We hear you have a comment about Illinois Basketball. The ESPN personality, Philadelphia Eagles legend, and soon-to-be brother-in-law of Taylor Swift tweeted about the Illini during their NCAA Tournament game against Penn on Thursday night. “Who knew that Illinois had so many Serbians,” he posted on X. We did. We all did. […]
Illini nation, raise a champagne toast to the Champaign kid
When Kylan Boswell takes the court in Greenville, South Carolina, it will be his fourth NCAA Tournament in four years. That’s not a coincidence. Boswell is a winning basketball player. And for the Illini, he has been an excellent stabilizing factor on a roster in flux. He’s also exactly the kind of veteran guard who […]
Keaton Wagler earns All-American honors and jersey banner
Greenville, S.C. — The preseason hype surrounding a kid named Keaton Wagler felt rather obscure back then. Today, Keaton Wagler is considered one of the recent great Illini to grace the wooden State Farm Center court. On Tuesday, Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler was named to the All-American Second Team, the first Illini Freshman ever to […]
How Illinois can look like contender again in NCAA Tournament
Just a few weeks ago, it felt like this Illini team was a surefire 2 seed and even potentially a 1 seed. They looked like a legitimate title contender and were well on their way to having one of the best regular seasons in program history. That quickly changed when the Illini finished the season […]
How Illinois can avoid NCAA Tournament upset in opening weekend
The Illini received a great draw in this year’s NCAA Tournament and should be in a strong position to make another second weekend. Illinois still has to win the games, but the odds are in their favor to reach the Sweet 16, with Penn in the first round and either North Carolina or VCU in […]
How to Watch Illinois vs. Colorado: Game Time, TV Channel, Online Streaming and Odds
How to Watch No. 7 Illinois vs. No. 10 Colorado (NCAA Tournament Round of 64) Game Time: 8:30 p.m. Saturday TV Channel: ESPN2 Online Streaming: ESPN+ Odds: Illinois -3.5 Quick Hits: Illinois Fighting Illini (21-11, 9-9 Big Ten) Head Coach: Shauna Green (4th season) Last Game: Iowa 64, Illinois 58 (Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals) Colorado Buffaloes (22-11, 11-7 […]
What’s Illinois’ tournament fate? Here’s TCR’s bracket breakdown
On this bonus edition of ‘Oskee Talk’ I’m joined by The Champaign Room’s bracket guru Robby Nardini to discuss the lack of suspense on Selection Sunday (2:46), reveal Illinois’ first-round matchup with a familiar face (6:48), take a glance at the rest of the South Region (12:33) and if he agrees that a change of […]
Illinois with few answers for inability to stay focused despite NCAA Tournament looming
CHICAGO — The edge felt extra sharp Friday night, with blank stares draping the Fighting Illini locker room as the swirl of frustration, anger and agitation palpably pulsed. An all-too-familiar sensation was echoed by a disgruntled Brad Underwood, who had very little to say to his team after Illinois’ first crack at postseason play ended […]
How to Watch Illinois vs. Penn: Game Time, TV Channel, Online Streaming and Odds
How to Watch No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Penn (NCAA Tournament Round of 64) Game Time: ~8:25 p.m. Thursday TV Channel: TNT Online Streaming: March Madness Live Odds: Illinois -22.5 Quick Hits: Illinois Fighting Illini (24-8, 15-5 Big Ten) Head Coach: Brad Underwood (9th season) Last Game: Wisconsin 91, Illinois 88 (Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals) Gameday Reading: […]
Breaking down Illinois’ path to NCAA Tournament Final Four
The NCAA Tournament bracket was revealed on Sunday night, and Illinois received a No. 3 seed in the South Region. Illinois will head to Greenville, SC for a matchup against Penn on Thursday night. It was disappointing that the Illini were unable to secure a No. 2 seed and play in St. Louis, as they […]
Illinois’ keys to winning vs. Penn in first round NCAA Tournament game
The stage is set. Illinois will open its NCAA Tournament run Thursday night in Greenville, South Carolina against the Penn Quakers. Nothing like an Ivy League matchup in mid-March. On paper, it looks like the Illini should pull out a comfortable win. FanDuel Sportsbook opened the line Sunday night at Illinois -22.5 — which would […]
Illinois women to NCAA Tournament for third time in four years
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Fighting Illini are in the big dance once again. The orange and blue will make their first back-to-back tournament appearance since the 1998-99 and 1999-00 seasons. The appearance will mark the third time in four years the Illini have made the NCAA tournament, all under the helm of fourth-year head coach […]
Tip time, TV channel announced for Illinois-Penn
Hope you can stay up late on a Thursday night. The official tipoff times for the Round of 64 were announced Sunday night — and Illinois is getting one of the later destinations. The Illini’s 3-14 matchup with Penn is set for 8:25 p.m. CT on TNT. It’s also getting the No. 1 crew, led […]
Illinois opens as massive favorite over McCaffery, No. 14 Penn
Illinois will be reunited with an old friend this week in South Carolina — but the oddsmakers don’t predict an upset. The Illini earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a date with former Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery and his Ivy League champs, No. 14 Penn. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Illinois […]
Join The Champaign Room’s 2026 Bracket Challenge
It’s that time of the year again, those few days where you pick the winners of 63 games and think you’re going to have the perfect bracket. Well, prove it to us. Join our ESPN.com Tournament Challenge group and compete against other Illinois fans. Our group is called The Champaign Room 2026. You can find the group […]
Illinois earns No. 3 seed in 2026 NCAA Tournament
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois will limp into March Madness following a disastrous overtime loss to Wisconsin in the quarterfinal of the Big Ten tournament, and its quest for a tournament run will begin as a No. 3 seed against Fran McCaffery and No. 14 Penn on Thursday in Greenville, SC. Florida is the No. 1 […]
TCR Final Bracketology: Illinois Falls Off the Two Line
Selection Sunday is finally here. It is time to pick who I think should be in the field, and then an hour later complain about why the committee did not agree with me. Disclaimer: this is not my attempt to predict what the committee will do. This is purely my opinion of who deserves to […]
March Madness 2026: Start time, TV schedule and streaming for Selection Sunday
It’s that time of year again — Selection Sunday! Despite Illinois’ less-than-stellar final month of regular season, the Fighting Illini will hear their name called Sunday night during the Selection Show. Here’s what you need to know about the show: Even though the Illini lost five times over the season’s final five weeks — with […]
Illinois’ new #1 priority entering March Madness
On this episode of ‘Oskee Talk’ I share my favorite story from the Big Ten Tournament (5:00), recap the Fighting Illini’s stunning loss to Wisconsin (12:51), discuss the post-game remarks from players & Brad Underwood (24:55), and analyze the team’s seeming lack of a killer instinct (36:27). Finally, I also briefly preview Selection Sunday and […]
Former Illinois coach John Groce going dancing again
John Groce is going dancing once again. Groce’s Akron Zips claimed their third straight MAC Tournament title on Saturday night in thrilling fashion. For the fourth time in five years, the former Illinois head coach is heading to the NCAA Tournament. While his Zips haven’t yet won a game in the Big Dance, it says […]
Illinois collapses in Chicago as late-game demons return in overtime loss to Wisconsin
CHICAGO – A chance to taste sweet revenge. An opportunity to build real momentum before March Madness and silence the late-game narratives. A 15-point lead with 11:34 left on the clock. All gone in what felt like the blink of an eye. In the first win-or-go-home game of the season, the Illini walked home with […]
Illini emphatically demonstrate who and where they are against Badgers
CHICAGO – On a macro level, tournament basketball is a prize fight. Each game is called a round. And each contest leaves one team standing while the other goes home empty-handed. Few fights are draws. It’s a binary conclusion. It’s the beauty of the art and science of sport. When Illinois plays Wisconsin, the fights tend […]
Underwood points to free throw disparity in Big Ten tourney loss
CHICAGO — Say what you want about the officiating in Friday afternoon’s quarterfinal battle between No. 5 Wisconsin and No. 4 Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament. But I think we can all agree it was a little much, as the Badgers pulled out the 91-88 win in overtime. Illinois head coach Brad Underwood put […]
‘Lack of focus’ ends Illinois’ Big Ten Tournament run early
CHICAGO — Does Brad Underwood think Illinois get complacent? After No. 4 Illinois’ 91-88 loss to No. 5 Wisconsin on Friday afternoon at the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago, the Illini’s head coach nodded in the United Center press conference room. “I’m not worried about the offense, I’m worried about the other end,” Underwood said. […]
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