The University of Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 105-70 win over Penn on March 19 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. Freshman forward David Mirkovic led Illinois with a record-setting performance, scoring 29 points and grabbing 17 rebounds.
The victory is significant as it broke several program records for Illinois, including most points scored in an NCAA Tournament game and the largest margin of victory since 2001. The team will next face No. 11-seeded VCU, which overcame North Carolina in overtime.
Mirkovic’s efforts set new marks for both rebounds and freshman scoring in an NCAA Tournament game for Illinois. “Mirkovic’s 17 rebounds broke the Illinois record for an NCAA Tournament game. His 29 points broke Will Riley’s Illini freshman tourney scoring mark set just last year and tied for the fourth-most by an Illini in an NCAA Tournament game all-time,” according to the university’s release. Keaton Wagler contributed with 18 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, while Kylan Boswell, Tomislav Ivisic, and Ben Humrichous also scored in double figures.
Illinois moved to a season record of 25-8 and continued its strong tournament history under coach Brad Underwood. The team has now won its opening game in seven of its last eight tournament appearances. According to the official website, Illinois has reached the Final Four five times: in 1949, 1951, 1952, 1989, and 2005.
The Fighting Illini play their home games in Champaign, Illinois and are part of the Big Ten Conference according to the official website. The team has earned multiple Big Ten titles over its history and competes at the NCAA Division I level according to university records.
Looking ahead, Illinois will prepare for its matchup against VCU as it seeks another deep run in March Madness.
