Illinois Page 2 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Iowa looks to continue historic run vs. another Big Ten foe in Illinois
HOUSTON -- From the outside looking in, Iowa coach Ben McCollum had an impression of Big Ten basketball that could only be confirmed through the experience he gleaned coaching the Hawkeyes for the first time this season.,The Hawkeyes (24-12) are on the precipice of their first Final Four appearance ...
Second-half explosion sends Illinois past Houston into South final
HOUSTON -- David Mirkovic and Keaton Wagler produced double-doubles as third-seeded Illinois parlayed a 17-0 second-half run into a 65-55 victory over second-seeded Houston on Thursday in the South Regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.,The Fighting Illini (27-8) advanced to the Elite Eight for...
Home Sweet 16 Home: Illinois downplays Houston's hometown advantage
HOUSTON -- Illinois is the road team in more ways than one on Thursday night when the Fighting Illini play in the South Region semifinal against the Houston Cougars. ,The University of Houston campus is less than three miles from the Toyota Center, where Illinois and Houston play in a purported "neu...
Freshmen take center stage when Illinois meets Houston in Sweet 16
HOUSTON -- Both Illinois and Houston have been forged by tradition and buoyed by veterans. Yet the Illini and Cougars owe a noteworthy measure of their success this season to freshmen.,Guards Keaton Wagler of Illinois and Kingston Flemings of Houston will serve as the showcase young stars for the th...
Andrej Stojakovic, No. 3 Illinois blow past No. 11 VCU
GREENVILLE, S.C. - Andrej Stojakovic scored 16 of his 21 points in the first half to help No. 3 Illinois breeze past No. 11 VCU for a 76-55 win in a second-round South Region matchup on Saturday night.,Tomislav Ivisic added 14 points and 11 rebounds for Illinois (26-8), which advanced to its second ...
No. 11 seed VCU embraces underdog role, eyes upset of third-seeded Illinois
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- VCU has been comfortable in this uncomfortable position for weeks. The Rams had to win the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament just to clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament.,VCU (28-7) then had to dig out of a 19-point hole against North Carolina on Thursday, rallying for an 82-78 o...
No. 3 Illinois overwhelms Penn with 65-point second half
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- David Mirkovic had 29 points and 17 rebounds to help No. 3 Illinois breeze past No. 14 Penn in a 105-70 victory in a first-round South Region matchup on Thursday.,Keaton Wagler added 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for Illinois (25-8), which advances to face No. 11 VC...
Illinois overwhelms Penn with 65-point second half
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- David Mirkovic had 29 points and 17 rebounds to help No. 3 seed Illinois breeze past No. 14 seed Penn in a 105-70 victory in a first-round East Region matchup on Thursday.,Keaton Wagler added 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for Illinois (25-8), which advances to face ...
No. 3 seed Illinois opens title pursuit with familiar feel vs. Penn
Illinois team leaders called a players-only meeting last weekend after an early exit from the Big Ten tournament.,It allowed the Fighting Illini to regroup as they await the chance to reset for the NCAA Tournament.,Third-seeded Illinois meets No. 14 Penn in a South Region first-round game on Thursda...
NCAA Tournament: Names to know before the Dance begins
While filling out your NCAA Tournament bracket, it's valuable to know the names most likely to deliver in big games ahead. ,From Duke's Boozers, to Purdue's Kaufman-Renn all the way to Uzan in Houston, we're helping you identify the difference makers setting the tone in the Big Dance. ,Darius Acuff,...
Guards drive Wisconsin past Illinois in OT
Overtime was too much for Illinois for the fourth time this season, as the No. 9 Fighting Illini fell 91-88 to No. 23 Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals on Friday afternoon in Chicago.,Wisconsin guards Nick Boyd and John Blackwell combined for 69 points and made 21 of 22 foul shots to...
Illinois needs to build on last two outings to get by Wisconsin
Jim Valvano called it survive and advance in 1983 when his North Carolina State team won the national championship.,After Wisconsin hung on to eliminate Washington on Thursday in the third round of the Big Ten Conference tournament, Badgers coach Greg Gard referred to it as "just find a way to get t...
No. 11 Illinois secures top-four seed in Big Ten by beating Maryland
David Mirkovic delivered 22 points and 11 rebounds as No. 11 Illinois outlasted Maryland for a 78-72 Big Ten victory on Sunday in College Park, Md.,In a game that was tight throughout, Keaton Wagler scored all 11 of his points in the second half as the Fighting Illini (24-7, 15-5 Big Ten) completed ...
Andrej Stojakovic posts double-double as No. 11 Illinois routs Oregon
Andrej Stojakovic notched a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds and David Mirkovic added 19 points and seven boards to help 11th-ranked Illinois rout visiting Oregon 80-54 on Tuesday in Champaign, Ill.,Illinois (23-7, 14-5 Big Ten) dominated behind multiple extended runs to stop a two-game lo...
No. 11 Illinois bids to bounce back vs. Oregon
No. 11 Illinois knows the postseason awaits despite squandering an opportunity to keep No. 3 Michigan from clinching the Big Ten regular-season title with Friday's home loss.,As the Fighting Illini prepare for Oregon's visit to Champaign, Ill., on Tuesday night, some recent NCAA tournament projectio...
Former Illini Morez Johnson Jr. leads No. 3 Michigan to win, Big Ten title
In a triumphant return to his former school, Morez Johnson Jr. produced 19 points and a game-high 11 rebounds to lead No. 3 Michigan to an 84-70 victory over No. 10 Illinois on Friday night in Champaign, Ill., that clinched the Wolverines' first Big Ten title since 2021.,Johnson, a physical sophomor...
Donovan Dent goes end to end as UCLA tops No. 10 Illinois at OT buzzer
Donovan Dent drove the length of court for the game-winning layup with no time remaining to give UCLA an electric 95-94 overtime victory over No. 10 Illinois in Big Ten play on Saturday night in Los Angeles.,Dent had 14 points and a career-high 15 assists in helping the Bruins (18-9, 10-6 Big Ten) h...
Donovan Dent goes end to end as UCLA tops No. 10 Illinois at the buzzer
Donovan Dent drove the length of court for the game-winning layup with no time remaining to give UCLA an electric 95-94 overtime victory over No. 10 Illinois in Big Ten play on Saturday night in Los Angeles.,Dent had 14 points and a career-high 15 assists in helping the Bruins (18-9, 10-6 Big Ten) h...
Fresh off rout, No. 10 Illinois keeping guard up vs. UCLA
Illinois began a two-game road trip to Los Angeles with its biggest margin of victory in a Big Ten road game in 80 years.,But that triumph is now in the rear-view mirror for the No. 10 Fighting Illini, who will look to take down UCLA on Saturday.,Illinois (22-5, 13-3 Big Ten) routed Southern Califor...
Seven Illini score at least 10 as No. 10 Illinois pummels USC
Andrej Stojakovic's 22 points led seven double-figure point scorers for No. 10 Illinois as the Illini pounded short-handed Southern California 101-65 on Wednesday in Los Angeles.,Doubt loomed over the availability of Stojakovic going into this week's California road trip for Illinois (22-5, 13-3 Big...