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UConn vs Illinois live stream: Can you watch for free?

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Defending national champions UConn seek a second consecutive trip to the Final Four when they take on No. 3 seed Illinois in the Elite Eight today. The Illini, meanwhile, are looking to get back to the national semifinals for the first time since Deron Williams and Dee Brown were in the backcourt.

This one is just abut to start at 6:09 p.m. ET and will be televised on TBS. But if you want to watch March Madness online, we have some different ways you can watch a live stream of the game for free or cheap.

Is There a Free UConn vs Illinois Live Stream?

YouTube TV on Roku.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

You can watch a live stream of UConn vs Illinois on either YouTube TV (“Base Plan”) or DirecTV Stream (“Entertainment” package or above). They both include TBS, and they both come with a free five-day trial.

Moreover, both of these live-TV streaming services also come with CBS (live in most markets). That gives you everything you need to watch both of today’s Elite Eight games (TBS), tomorrow’s Elite Eight games (CBS), next weekend’s Final Four (TBS) and the national championship (TBS), though you’ll need to time your free trials correctly if you don’t want to pay anything.

Another free option, but just for one game, is the March Madness Live app or website. You can watch a live stream of every tournament game this way provided you sign in with a cable provider, but even if you don’t have a cable provider, you can watch for free for three hours before needing to log in.

Other Ways to Watch the UConn vs Illinois Live Stream

Max logo
Max / Max

If you’ve used up your free trials for YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream, or you just want a cheap way to watch this game and the Final Four and the national championship next week, then Max is the way to go. It’s just $10 per month and includes every tournament game on TBS. It doesn’t include the CBS games, so you won’t be able to watch Sunday’s Elite Eight games on Max, but you could always start a free trial of Paramount+ with SHOWTIME for those ones.

If you want a cheap way to watch both the men’s and women’s tournaments, Sling TV‘s “Sling Orange” is a good option. It includes TBS, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3 (which simulcasts ABC games) and is just $20 for your first month. That’s by far the least expensive live-TV streaming service with all of those channels

How to Watch the UConn vs Illinois Live Stream from Abroad

NordVPN running on a MacBook Pro.
NordVPN

A virtual private network (VPN) can hide your IP address/location and connect you to a digital server in the United States. This makes it seem to your computer or streaming device as though you’re physically located there, allowing you to access US-only sites such as YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, Max or Sling.

We would go with NordVPN, but most VPN’s will work just fine if you’re just trying to watch a live stream of UConn vs Illinois from abroad. We’ve put together a list of the best VPN services out there right now if you want to check out some more options.

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Tim Keeney
Tim Keeney
Tim is a long-time sports journalist who has written about everything from the NFL to more popular sports such as chess…
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