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The No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (25-8) take on the No. 11 seed VCU Rams (28-7) with a Sweet 16 spot up for grabs on Saturday at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
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How to Watch Illinois vs. VCU
- Game day: Saturday, March 21, 2026
- Game time: 8:15 p.m. ET
- TV channel: CBS
Illinois 2025-26 Season Stats
| Stat | Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 46.4 | 101 |
| Opp. Field Goal % | 41.1 | 34 |
| Rebounds Per Game | 37.8 | 6 |
| Opp. Rebounds Per Game | 27.9 | 24 |
| Turnovers Per Game | 8.4 | 7 |
| Opp. Turnovers Per Game | 7.3 | 365 |
VCU 2025-26 Season Stats
| Stat | Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 46.0 | 127 |
| Opp. Field Goal % | 43.1 | 104 |
| Rebounds Per Game | 33.6 | 93 |
| Opp. Rebounds Per Game | 30.4 | 133 |
| Turnovers Per Game | 10.1 | 95 |
| Opp. Turnovers Per Game | 11.2 | 159 |
Illinois vs. VCU Stat Insights
Points
- The Fighting Illini are averaging 85.0 points, 13.3 more than the Rams concede.
- Illinois is 23-5 when tallying more than 71.7 points.
- When VCU allows less than 85.0 points, it is 24-3.
- The Rams' 81.6 points per game are 11.8 more than the Fighting Illini concede.
- VCU is 22-6 when posting more than 69.8 points.
- Illinois' record is 23-1 when it gives up less than 81.6 points.
- The Fighting Illini have 501 more points than their opponents this season (15.2 per game), and the Rams have 347 more than their opponents (9.9 per game).
Shooting
- The Fighting Illini are making 46.4% of their shots from the field, 3.3% higher than the Rams concede to opponents (43.1%).
- Illinois has a 19-2 straight-up record when shooting higher than 43.1% from the field.
- The Rams' 46.0% shooting percentage from the field is only 4.9% higher than the Fighting Illini have given up.
- VCU is 23-2 when shooting higher than 41.1% from the field.
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Rebounding
- The Fighting Illini pull down 37.8 rebounds per game, besting the Rams by 4.2 boards per contest.
- When Illinois has the rebounding advantage, it is 1-5. When posting fewer boards, VCU is 10-3.
- The Fighting Illini average 12.2 offensive boards, which is 2.5 more than the Rams.
- The Fighting Illini are 18-4 overall when they win the battle on the offensive glass. The Rams are 12-1 when they fall short there.
- Both these teams are strong on the boards. Illinois has an average rebounding margin of +9.9, and VCU is at +3.2.
