HOUSTON, IL (Chambana Today) — The Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball is headed back to the Final Four for the first time in more than two decades after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball 71-59 in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on Saturday.
Freshman guard Keaton Wagler delivered a standout performance, scoring 25 points and earning Most Outstanding Player honors for the region. Andrej Stojakovic added 17 points as Illinois continued its strong postseason run.
The Illini controlled the game in the paint, using their size advantage to dominate the glass. Illinois outrebounded Iowa 38-21, with David Mirkovic leading the way with 12 rebounds.
After trailing for much of the first half, Illinois took its first lead shortly after halftime in a back-and-forth contest that featured multiple lead changes. The Illini pulled away late, using an 8-0 run to build separation and close out the Hawkeyes.
Iowa, a ninth seed, had been one of the tournament’s surprise teams, advancing to the regional final after upsetting top-seeded opponents earlier in the bracket. Bennett Stirtz led the Hawkeyes with 24 points in the loss.
Under head coach Brad Underwood, Illinois will now make its sixth Final Four appearance in program history. The Illini will face either Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball or UConn Huskies men’s basketball next weekend in Indianapolis with a chance to advance to the national championship game.