Illinois men's basketball heads to Houston for Elite Eight clash with Iowa

Illinois men's basketball, fresh off a 65-55 Sweet 16 upset of No. 2 Houston, will meet No. 9-seeded Iowa in the NCAA South Region final in Houston on Saturday at 5:09 p.m. (TBS, truTV, 890-AM), the Illini announced as they prepared for the program's first Final Four bid since 2005.

Deon Thomas, Illinois' career scoring leader and a radio analyst, said he spotted a fan wearing a T-shirt proclaiming the Illini “friends to no foe and rivals to all,” but singled out Iowa as the program’s fiercest rival. Thomas, 55, told the Sun-Times he believes Illinois is the better team and that the roster has the talent, scheme and defense to contend for a national title.

The matchup renews a heated series: Illinois has won five straight meetings and 10 of the last 11 against the Hawkeyes. The rivalry traces back to a 1989 controversy involving then-Iowa assistant coach Bruce Pearl and a recorded conversation about illegal inducements; Pearl has since apologized, Thomas said.

Iowa (24-12) has been the tournament’s surprise, advancing to its first Elite Eight since 1987 after dramatic wins over Clemson, Florida and Nebraska. Coach Ben McCollum, in his first year at Iowa, called the run a Cinderella story, while sophomore forward Álvaro Folgueiras described the team as “dreamers.”

Illinois (27-8) arrives with momentum: dominant defensive showings and standout performances from guard Keaton Wagler and forward David Mirkovic. Coach Brad Underwood praised the rarity of two conference foes meeting in the Elite Eight and the boost it gives the league.

The Elite Eight game is set for Saturday in Houston; the winner advances to the Final Four, and both teams are finalizing preparations as the matchup approaches.