The No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes are proving to be the March Madness Cinderella story, eliminating No. 1 Florida and No. 4 Nebraska in the men’s NCAA basketball tournament. They’ve made their way to the Elite Eight where they’ll face No. 3 Illinois this Saturday at Rice University’s Toyota Center in Houston, TX. The game will tip off at 6:09 p.m. ET and it will air on TBS and truTV. Will Iowa keep their hot streak alive? Here’s what the predictions say.
For a list of key dates, teams, and how to watch every March Madness game, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a look at how to watch the entire NCAA tournament all the way up to the Championship Final.
How to watch Iowa vs. Illinois in the March Madness Elite Eight:
Dates: March 28, 2026
Time: 6:09 p.m.
TV channel: TBS/truTV
Streaming: DirecTV, HBO Max and more
When is the Iowa vs. Illinois game?
The Iowa vs. Illinois game is this Saturday, March 28. Tipoff is at 6:09 p.m. ET.
Where to watch the Iowa vs. Illinois game:
Saturday’s Iowa vs. Illinois game airs on TBS and truTV.
Where to stream March Madness games without cable:
Every game of the 2026 men’s March Madness Tournament that’s on TBS, TNT or truTV will stream on HBO Max. You’ll also be able to access the game on live TV services like Sling and DirecTV.
Sling TV’s Day Pass gives consumers the freedom to watch what they want, when they want, without committing to a monthly streaming subscription. Sign up for a single day ($4.99), a weekend ($9.99), or a full week ($14.99) and watch every channel available through Sling Orange, which includes ESPN, ESPN2, and over 30 more channels. No strings attached.
Want to catch a specific sporting event that’s available on additional channels Sling Orange doesn’t typically carry? You can customize your channel lineup with a Sports Extra add-on to get additional coverage of channels like ESPNU and more for just $1.
Which teams are competing in the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament?
The following is a breakdown of Saturday’s Elite Eight game schedule including who’s playing and how to watch.
All times Eastern
Saturday, March 28
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6:09 p.m.: No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 9 Iowa (TBS/truTV)
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8:49 p.m: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 2 Purdue (TBS/truTV)
Sunday, March 29
2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament schedule:
The schedule and locations for the men’s tournament:
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Selection Sunday: 6 p.m. ET Sunday, March 15 on CBS
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First Four: Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18
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First round: Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20
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Second round: Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22
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Sweet 16: Thursday, March 26 and Friday, March 27
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Elite Eight: Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29
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Final Four: Saturday, April 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
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NCAA championship game: Monday, April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
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