Oscar Hartzog
Contact Oscar Hartzog by Email View all posts by Oscar Hartzog April 4, 2026
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Just four teams remain in this year’s March Madness basketball tournament. The first of the Final Four matchups will see the No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini up against the No. 2 UConn Huskies. The winner will face either Michigan or Arizona in Monday’s championship game.
At a Glance: Where to Stream Illinois vs. UConn Basketball Game
- Stream: DirecTV (free trial), Hulu + Live TV (free trial), Sling, HBO Max
- TV channel: TBS, TruTV
- Date, start time: Saturday, April 4 at 6:09 p.m. ET
Illinois has been in excellent shape this postseason, winning all of its games by double digits. They made it through the Elite Eight with a 71-59 win against No. 9 Iowa — their closest game of the tournament.
The Huskies’ journey has been sketchier, with their first-round, Sweet 16, and Elite Eight victories coming by just a few points. UConn’s Elite Eight game against No. 1 Duke was one of the best March Madness games in recent history, with the Huskies’ Braylon Mullins hitting a game-winning 40-foot three-pointer with less than a second on the clock.
Where to Stream Illinois vs. UConn Basketball Game Online
Tonight’s Illinois vs. UConn basketball games will air on TBS and TruTV. If you don’t have cable, you can watch the Illinois vs. UConn game online using a live TV streaming service that carries either channel or HBO Max. Some live TV streaming services also offer free trials that you can use to stream the Illinois vs. UConn game for free.
DirecTV
get free trialOur favorite live TV streamer that carries TBS is DirecTV, which offers the channel in its MySports Genre Pack and its larger Signature Packages. The most affordable plan is MySports at $69.99 a month ($44.99 a month for the first month). All DirecTV packages start with a five-day free trial — use that to stream the Illinois vs. UConn game for free.
Sling
Sign upThe most affordable way to watch the Illinois vs. UConn game online is Sling, which offers a one-day pass for $4.99. Monthly plans start at $45.99 a month, and you can get TBS in Sling’s Orange, Blue, and Orange + Blue plans. However, Sling does not offer a free trial.
Hulu + Live TV
get free trialHulu + Live TV also carries TBS for an Illinois vs. UConn livestream. You’ll get a three-day free trial to start, which you can use to watch the game for free. After that, Hulu + Live TV costs $89.99 a month.
HBO Max
sign upLivestreams of tonight’s Final Four basketball games will also be available on HBO Max. Sports streams are only available in HBO Max’s Standard and Premium plans (not the Basic with Ads plan). These plans start at $18.49 a month. HBO Max also doesn’t offer a free trial.
When Is the Illinois vs. UConn Basketball Game? Start Time, Date
The Illinois vs. UConn Final Four game is scheduled for Saturday, April 4. Tip-off is at 6:09 p.m. ET.
