How to watch Illinois Fighting Illini vs UConn Huskies in the March Madness Final Four on TV and stream online
In March Madness 2026’s opening National Semifinal, Illinois and UConn square off for a place in Monday’s championship decider.
The opening ticket to the National Championship Game is at stake in today’s Final Four curtain-raiser, as the UConn Huskies and the Illinois Fighting Illini collide at Indianapolis’s Lucas Oil Stadium.
What time is Illinois vs UConn?
Illinois vs UConn tips off at 6:09 p.m. ET/3:09 p.m. PT.
How can I watch the Fighting Illini vs the Huskies in the U.S.?
In the United States, the game will air on TBS. You can stream the channel on online platforms such as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, Sling TV and DirecTV.
Illinois vs UConn: Semifinal preview
In March Madness 2026’s first National Semifinal, one of the tournament’s most decorated programs comes up against a team chasing its maiden title.
UConn, whose last championship came just two years ago, boasts six national titles - an all-time haul that is bettered only by the Kentucky Wildcats and the UCLA Bruins. And the Huskies have an astonishing success rate in the Final Four: only once has the team failed to lift the trophy after making it to the semis.
Under Dan Hurley, who oversaw UConn’s 2023 and 2024 title triumphs, the Huskies reached this year’s Final Four in dramatic fashion. Despite slipping to a 19-point deficit against No. 1-seeded Duke last Sunday, the second seed roared back to win the East Regional Final 73-72, clinching victory with a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Braylon Mullins.
Meanwhile, Illinois is in the Final Four for the first time since 2005, when the Fighting Illini lost the title decider to North Carolina. That’s the closest the team has ever come to winning the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament. Seeded at No. 3 in the South, Illinois comprehensively beat ninth-seeded Iowa in this year’s Elite Eight, prevailing 71-59 a week ago.
Who else is in Final Four action today?
- 8:49 p.m. ET/5:49 p.m. PT: (1) Michigan vs (1) Arizona
When is the 2026 National Championship Game?
Illinois or UConn will take on Michigan or Arizona on Monday, April 6. The Championship Game tips off at Lucas Oil Stadium at 8:50 p.m. ET/5:50 p.m. PT.
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