US Edition
Illinois Powers Its Way to Its First Final Four in 21 Years, Beating Iowa 71-59
Freshman Keaton Wagler scored 25 points and Illinois dominated the frontcourt, outrebounding Iowa 38-21 to reach the Final Four for the first time in 21 years.
- On Saturday, Illinois defeated Iowa 71-59 in the Elite Eight at Toyota Center, securing the Fighting Illini's first Final Four appearance since 2005. Freshman Keaton Wagler scored 25 points and earned regional MVP honors.
- Despite trailing by 10 points early, the Illini navigated a five-minute arena horn malfunction that delayed play. The team dominated the frontcourt after halftime, outrebounding Iowa 38-21 to shift momentum and secure the comeback victory.
- Teammate Andre Stojakovic scored 17 points while David Mirkovic grabbed 12 rebounds to bolster the frontcourt. Coach Brad Underwood's system fueled the late-game surge that proved decisive against Iowa's early shooting accuracy.
- Iowa's tournament run ended at the Elite Eight, marking the program's deepest advancement in 39 years. Ninth-seeded Hawkeyes star Bennett Stirtz finished with 24 points, though insufficient against the Illini's dominant second-half defense.
- Illinois will play on Saturday, April 4, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Fighting Illini are two wins away from a national title and will face the winner of the Duke-Connecticut game in the national semifinal.
80 Articles
80 Articles
"That was about our fans." Illini team reacts to first Final Four berth in 21 years
HOUSTON (WMBD) - Central Illinois is still partying 24 hours later after the Illinois men's basketball team clinched their first Final Four berth since the famed 2005 squad. The Orange and Blue took down upset-minded, 9-seed Iowa Hawkeyes 71-59 Saturday in Houston to punch their ticket to Indianapolis. It's been quite a turnaround for the [...]
"Don't Think This is it": Andrej Stojakovic Puts NCAA Teams on Notice After Illinois’ 21-Year Milestone
For Andrej Stojakovic’s team, its ceiling isn’t bound by history; rather, it’s the performance on the day that matters. Stojakovic and the Illinois Fighting Illini clinched a crushing 71-59 win over Iowa in the March Madness Elite Eight on Saturday, a historic night for his team. But the junior Illinois guard isn’t content yet with his team’s performance, issuing a bold warning to the other NCAA teams. With this win over the Hawkeyes, Illinois q…
Andrej Stojaković and his basketball team Ilionios achieved great success.
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