The second matchup of CBS's Sunday doubleheader features a pivotal showdown as No. 15 Michigan (22-6) hosts Illinois (18-11) in Ann Arbor, aiming to stay in the thick of the Big Ten title chase.
Illinois got off to a red-hot start this season but has hit some turbulence since early January while navigating a grueling schedule. The Illini began with a strong 12-3 stretch, securing wins over Eastern Illinois, SIU Edwardsville, Oakland, Maryland Eastern Shore, Little Rock, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Missouri, Chicago State, Oregon, Washington, and Penn State.
However, they followed that up with an inconsistent 5-5 run, picking up victories against Indiana, Northwestern, Ohio State, Minnesota, and UCLA while falling short against USC, Michigan State, Maryland, Nebraska, and Rutgers. A tough three-game skid against Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Duke set them back further, but they rebounded with a much-needed win over Iowa to bring their season tally to 18-11 through 29 contests.
Meanwhile, Michigan has experienced only a couple of brief rough patches in an otherwise stellar campaign. The Wolverines opened with an 8-3 mark, suffering early defeats to Wake Forest, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. They responded by rattling off wins against Fort Wayne, Western Kentucky, USC, UCLA, and Washington before hitting another bump with losses to Minnesota and Purdue, sandwiching a win over Northwestern.
Since then, Michigan has been on fire, going 8-1 in its last nine outings. Their lone setback came against Michigan State, but they secured wins over Penn State, Rutgers, Oregon, Indiana, Purdue, Ohio State, Nebraska, and Rutgers to improve to 22-6 through 28 games in the 2024-25 season.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the Michigan Wolverines vs. the Illinois Fighting Illini NCAA Men's game, plus plenty more.
Michigan Wolverines vs Illinois Fighting Illini: Date and tip-off time
The Michigan Wolverines and the Illinois Fighting Illini will tip off in a highly anticipated NCAAM game on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at 3:00 pm ET/12:00 pm PT at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Date | Sunday, March 2, 2025 |
Tip-off Time | 3:45 pm ET/12:45 pm PT |
Venue | Crisler Center |
Location | Ann Arbor, Michigan |
How to watch Michigan Wolverines vs Illinois Fighting Illini on TV & stream live online
Fans in the USA can catch all the action between the Michigan Wolverines and the Illinois Fighting Illini on:
- TV Channel: CBS
- Streaming service: Fubo
Streaming the game with a VPN
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How to listen to Michigan Wolverines vs Illinois Fighting Illini play-by-play commentary on radio
Fans wanting to listen to the action live can do so via SiriusXM.
SiriusXM offers play-by-play commentary from games in all major US sports. It also brings you closer to the action with exclusive interviews and expert analysis from league insiders and experts.
You can try SiriusXM for free with their one-month trial. After that, the All Access plan costs $9.99 a month.
Michigan Wolverines team news & key performers
Michigan leaned on a big game from Vladislav Goldin in its most recent win, as the senior center dominated with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Just behind him was Nimari Burnett, who finished with 20 points, including the game-winner. The 6ft 5in senior guard has been a key starter for the past two seasons, averaging 10.3 PPG and 3.4 RPG. Goldin, Michigan's dominant force in the post, stands at 7ft 1in and 250 pounds, leading the team with 15.9 PPG and adding 6.4 RPG. He has topped the 20-point mark in three of his last four outings, excelling in the paint without a single three-point attempt in those games.
Danny Wolf is another towering presence at 7ft, though he brings more versatility to the floor with his ability to handle the ball and distribute. Wolf is averaging 12.6 PPG, a team-high 9.8 RPG, and 3.8 APG. Running the offense is 6ft 3in junior guard Tre Donaldson, who chips in with 12.0 PPG while orchestrating the Wolverines' attack.
Illinois Fighting Illini news & key performers
In their latest victory, Illinois was powered by a dominant performance from Tomislav Ivisic, who poured in 22 points against Iowa. The 7ft 1in, 230-pound sophomore center serves as the team's anchor in the paint, leading the Illini in rebounds with 7.9 per game while contributing 12.8 PPG. Despite his size, Ivisic is a versatile threat, capable of stretching the floor with 39 made three-pointers this season.
The team's top player, freshman Kasparas Jakucionis from Lithuania, is a dynamic 6ft 6in guard who can run the point while putting up impressive numbers—15.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 4.8 APG. He’s also a perimeter threat with 44 three-pointers on the year and recently delivered a standout 24-point, eight-rebound performance in a win over UCLA. Another key contributor is freshman Will Riley, a 6ft 8in guard coming off the bench to provide a spark with 11.8 PPG and 4.0 RPG.