Texas reached the peak of the AP poll for the first time since 2004, and is now pursuing its first national title since the undefeated run of 1985-86. The Longhorns can gallop into the Sweet 16 with a win over Illinois, a team with veteran leadership but holes in its defense.

How to watch No. 1 Texas vs. No. 8 Illinois

• What: Birmingham 3 Regional, second round
• Venue: Moody Center — Austin, Texas
• Time: 2 p.m. ET, Monday
• TV: ESPN
• Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
• Watching in-person? Get tickets on StubHub.

Dive into March Madness with The Athletic
Projecting the bracket | March Madness 2025 | Players to watch

Vic Schaefer’s squad had just three losses all season, and two of them were to defending champion South Carolina. They are suffocating on defense and fearless in the paint. All-American Madison Booker recalls another Longhorn great to wear No. 35. She’s graceful and nimble on the block, but can pop out with WNBA range. Her and Taylor Jones are as formidable of a frontcourt duo as any in the nation.

Texas looks comfortable in just about every facet of basketball … except for the long ball. It ranked 349th in 3-point attempts and took just nine treys in their opening-round win over William & Mary. That didn’t matter much — Booker scored 20, Jones had 19 and Kyla Oldacre put up 15 off the bench — but it might be a concern against tougher opponents in the later rounds.

Illinois is nearly a 20-point underdog for Monday’s road trip to Austin. The Illini are paced by three seniors in Kendall Bostic, Genesis Bryant and Adalia McKenzie. Each averaged at least 13.5 points. Bostic was a walking double-double all season, leading the Big Ten in minutes per game. Unlike Texas, this team likes the 3, shooting 38.9 percent in-conference.

Shauna Green’s gang hadn’t reached the Round of 32 since 2000. They are 4-5 against ranked opponents, but 0-2 against top-10 foes (USC, UCLA).

This matchup can also be streamed on ESPN+.

Texas vs. Illinois odds

Streaming and Betting/Odds links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

(Photo of Madison Booker: Alex Slitz / Getty Images)