LEXINGTON – How West Michigan made his return, cutting what had been an eight-run race Kentucky advantage for two, UK coach Nick Mingione said he didn’t bat an eyelid on the bench.
“You watched us play,” he told the media during his postgame press conference on Friday. “How many times have we been to the same game? I feel like we’ve been there so many times.”
And how the Wild cats done 40 previous times in 2024, they found a way to win on Friday, beating the Broncos, 10-8, to start the NCAA Tournament‘s Lexington Regional off on the right foot.
“It was intense in that) is every play and every inch important? Absolutely,” Mingione said, “but speaking of what I said the other day, we’ve been in these games for 15 weeks, so this is the 16th week. I thought our guys absolutely responded.”
Go to the game: Want to buy Kentucky baseball tickets for the Lexington Regional? Here are your top picks for the 2024 NCAA tournament
Kentucky will be forced to rise to the occasion again on Saturday, facing Illinois. The Fighting Illini are Big Ten regular season champions. And they’re one of the hottest teams in the country – after starting the season with a 5-10 record, Illinois is 30-9 in their last 39 games, including a 4-1 victory over Indiana State in the second game of the regional on Friday night.
Not that Mingione is worried about his crew.
“They’re so good at moving on to the next thing,” he said. “We talk all the time. You’ve heard us say that ‘this victory will expire at midnight,’ and it will. They move on immediately.”
More: Watch Kentucky vs. Illinois baseball and NCAA Lexington Regional on ESPN+
Here’s everything you need to know about Kentucky’s game against Illinois in an NCAA Tournament regional matchup in Kentucky Proud Parkincluding time and streaming information.
NCAA Tournament Lexington Regional: When is Kentucky vs. Illinois baseball today?
Where: Kentucky Proud Park (5,000); Lexington
Game time: 6pm on Saturday
How to Buy Tickets for Kentucky vs. Illinois Baseball at the Lexington Regional
StubHub has tickets available for the UK/Illinois game (from $7from 1am on Saturday), as well as a ticket for all sessions (from $72) that takes spectators to all regional games.
Kentucky vs Illinois Channel Today at Lexington Regional: Time, TV Schedule
Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament regional game against Illinois will be broadcast at 6 p.m. Saturday on ESPN+.
Live stream Kentucky vs Illinois in the 2024 NCAA Tournament
You can watch the game at WatchESPN.com, the WatchESPN app or ESPN+. Authenticated subscribers can access ESPN+ through TV-connected devices. Those who do not have access to ESPN+ can access the game through an ESPN+ subscription. (To sign up for ESPN+, click here.)
How to Stream the Kentucky Baseball vs Illinois NCAA Regional Game for Free?
There is no option to watch Saturday’s game for free. To access ESPN+, you must be an authenticated subscriber.
Kentucky Baseball Schedule at Lexington Regional
(All times Eastern)
Friday, May 31st
Saturday, June 1st
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Game 3: Western Michigan vs. Indiana State, noon; Live broadcast: ESPN+; Flow: ESPN+
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Game 4: Kentucky vs. Illinois, 6 p.m.; Live broadcast: ESPN+; Flow: ESPN+
Sunday, June 2
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Game 5: Winner of Game 3 vs. Game 4 loser, noon; TELEVISION: TBD
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Game 6: Winner of Game 5 x Winner of Game 4, 6pm; TELEVISION: TBD
Monday, June 3rd (if necessary)
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Contact Kentucky men’s basketball and soccer reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on the X at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared in the Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky vs Illinois Channel, Time, TV, Stream for NCAA Regional Game
