How to Watch Illinois vs. Kentucky NCAA Tournament Second Round Game on March 23, 2025
March Madness is underway, and no streamer has more hoops coverage than Hulu + Live TV.
A spot in the Sweet Sixteen will be on the line as the No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats will take on the No. 6 Illinois Fighting Illini in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The SEC and Big Ten teams will clash on CBS at 2:40 p.m. ET. I recommend watching it and all of the March Madness with a subscription to Hulu + Live TV.
How to watch Kentucky vs. Illinois
- When: Sunday, March 23, 2025 at 5:15 p.m. ET
- TV: CBS
- Stream: Watch with a subscription to Hulu + Live TV.
- From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a VPN.
Everything you need to know to stream Kentucky vs. Illinois
Why we recommend Hulu + Live TV to watch Kentucky vs. Illinois
Simply put, there is no better place to watch postseason college basketball than Hulu + Live TV. Not only does the service provide access to every game of the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament, but it will also have every game of the Women’s Tournament as well. But the hoops don’t stop there, as Hulu + Live TV will also carry every game of the NIT and Crown Basketball Tournament.
Hulu + Live TV is a hoops haven during March and April as the best teams look to cut down the nets. But what makes the streamer such an incredible option for cord-cutters is the unbelievable value that it providers that no other service can compete with. In addition to all of the broadcast and cable channels that you need to catch the tournaments, it also comes with the entire Disney Bundle at no additional cost.
That means that you will get access to the entire Hulu on-demand library, all of Disney+, and especially important for sports fans ESPN+ completely free. Hulu + Live TV also offers a three-day free trial, so you can check out the service and all of its benefits without having to pay a penny; you can watch a lot of March Madness games in three days.
Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 70 channels for $89.99 per month. Hulu + Live TV base plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs). Subscribers get free access to Disney+ and ESPN Select at no extra charge.
Related: See the cheapest way to stream March Madness in 2025
Can you watch Kentucky vs. Illinois for free?
If you are just looking for a streaming service to watch this specific game and nothing else, there are options available for you. We’ve already discussed Hulu + Live TV’s free trial DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, and YouTube TV all offer free trials, but they vary in length, so be wary. DIRECTV STREAM’s industry-leading trial runs for five days is a solid option if you are just looking to get as many games for free as possible.
While DIRECTV’s trial is pretty straightforward, the others aren’t. When it comes to the sports-minded streamer Fubo, things can get a little complicated. As The Streamable’s expert David Satin discovered when signing up for the services, figuring out how long Fubo’s trial is — even as you are signing up — can be a bit difficult. Nonetheless, it will be at least one day, with the potential to be as many as seven, depending on a wide range of factors that Fubo does not share publicly.
The YouTube TV trial is said to be “up to two weeks,” but can be as short as two days. So it is difficult to ascertain what you are actually getting before you go through the signup process.
If you are looking to watch the game for free, I would recommend DIRECTV STREAM, because that streamer has the longest guaranteed free trial.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $25 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| CBS | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | - | - | - | ✓ | |
Watch highlights of the First Round games
What are all of the streamers you can use to watch Kentucky vs. Illinois?
Fortunately for basketball fans, there are six different streaming services that will stream the Kentucky vs. Illinois game, so you have options to choose from if you don’t already subscribe to any of them. We discussed Paramount+ and the free trial options above, but there are a couple of other options worth discussing.
Paramount+ is the best way to stream any Men’s Basketball Tournament game on CBS because of its price. Unlike all of the live TV streaming options available on the market, Paramount+ won’t cost you north of $80 for a single month of service. Instead, you will be able to stream every game of Men’s March Madness that airs on CBS for just $13.
Paramount+ has two subscription tiers, so when you subscribe, make sure that you are opting for the right one. The streamer’s Essential tier is cheaper at just $8 per month, but the ad-supported plan won’t provide you access to March Madness. Instead, you will need to subscribe to the premium Paramount+ with SHOWTIME tier. Not only does that option come with ad-free on-demand viewing (unfortunately, there will still be commercials during the basketball games) as well as a simulcast of your local CBS affiliate.
So, for just $13, you will be able to stream every CBS game of the tournament, including the Final Four and National Championship Game.
If you are looking to find a long-term streaming service and want to avoid the potential of having to pay more if price hikes strike, then DIRECTV via Internet is your best bet. Packages start as low as $70 per month and come with a two-year price guarantee. This, of course, locks you into a two-year contract, but with prices increasing fairly regularly, it is understandable why this would be an attractive offer to many people.
Ultimately, there are tons of different ways to stream the game, and while we recommend Paramount+ as the best way to stream all of the college and pro basketball season, you have plenty of options to find the platform that meets your needs.
DIRECTV Via Internet
DIRECTV via Internet was a live TV streaming service that delivered the full DIRECTV experience over the internet — no satellite dish required. It included local channels and many of the top cable channels. New subscribers could get a free Gemini streaming device that functions like a traditional cable or satellite box.
How to watch Kentucky vs. Illinois from anywhere
If you’ll be away from home and can’t watch the game as you normally would, you can still catch all of the action no matter where you are in the world with a VPN. A VPN can be used on your phone, tablet, or computer and make you appear to be back home — even when you’re not — making sure you feel at home no matter where you are. A VPN is a safe and secure way to stay protected online while streaming your favorite sports, movies, and shows on the go. Keep in mind that you will still need to be subscribed to Paramount+ or a live TV streaming in order to stream the Kentucky vs. Illinois game with a VPN.
NordVPN is one of the best providers around, at one of the best prices. Currently, you can get two full years of protection for just $3.59 per month — plus you’ll get three extra months FREE. A high-speed VPN with best-in-class security that can be used on up to 10 devices at once — what more could you ask for? Simply sign up, install the software on your device of choice, and start streaming just as you would back home. It couldn’t be easier!
While NordVPN is our recommendation for the best VPN to use while you are traveling, there are a number of other high-quality options available depending on what you are looking for.
- Best Features: ExpressVPN | Starting at $5 per month
- Best Budget Option: Surfshark | Starting at $2.50 per month
- Best Free Option: Proton VPN | Free plan available