Men’s March Madness 2026 second round scores, live updates: Duke vs. TCU; Michigan, Michigan State cruise to Sweet 16
7:50 p.m. ET, CBS
The VCU Rams kept their season alive Thursday when they completed the sixth-largest comeback in men’s NCAA Tournament history by erasing a 19-point deficit to defeat North Carolina in an overtime shocker. Now, the Rams have an even bigger test against Illinois.
VCU, behind sophomore guard Terrence Hill Jr.’s 34-point game, showed resilience in pulling off the win. Illinois, meanwhile, routed No. 14 Penn behind a big performance from David Mirković in one of the Illini’s most complete games this season.
Still, the Illini will be tested in this matchup. VCU imposes its defensive will with nagging ball pressure and will hope to force turnovers and get out in transition.
The Rams average 7.3 steals per game, ranking 117th in Division I, and have averaged 81.6 points this season. Equally importantly, the Rams’ roster is deep, so VCU will keep its rotations fresh to maintain constant pressure, something Illinois didn’t have to deal with in the opening round.
Illinois led Penn by 10 at the half and opened up the game with a 65-point second half. The final 20 minutes of that win are more of what the Illini have been capable of this season, and Illinois ranks ninth in 3-pointers made per game with nine. Seeing the ball go through the basket could boost confidence on defense as well.
