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University of Illinois Athletics

Illinois team vs. Penn_3-20-26
Courtney Bay / Illinois Athletics
70
Penn Penn 18-12,9-5 Ivy League
105
Winner Illinois Illini 25-8,15-5 Big Ten
Penn Penn
18-12,9-5 Ivy League
70
Final
105
Illinois Illini
25-8,15-5 Big Ten
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Penn Penn 30 40 70
Illinois Illini 40 65 105

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

#3-Seed Illinois Rolls Past Penn to Advance to Second Round, 105-70

RECAP

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Freshman forward David Mirkovic turned in a performance for the record books on Thursday night, posting a 29-point, 17-rebound double-double to lead the No. 3-seed Fighting Illini to a 105-70 victory over 14th-seeded Penn at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

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.

Along with Mirkovic's monster game, fellow freshman Keaton Wagler tallied 18 points, seven rebounds and a game-high seven assists. Kylan Boswell (13 points), Tomislav Ivisic (12) and Ben Humrichous (12) also scored in double-figures as the Illini broke the program record for most points ever in an NCAA Tournament game.

Illinois (25-8, 15-5 B1G) separated from the Quakers (18-11, 9-5 Ivy) early on, using a 14-3 run, including seven points from Mirkovic, that pushed a two-point advantage to a 26-13 lead with 9:30 to play in the first half. Penn responded with a 9-0 run over the next 2 minutes to stay within striking distance of the Illini.

Mirkovic poured in eight more over the final 6 minutes of the first period, and secured his team-leading eighth double-double by halftime (17 points and 10 rebounds) as the Illini pulled ahead by double-digits, 40-30, heading into the break.

In the second half, a pair of Wagler 3-pointers helped push the Illini lead beyond the 20-point mark. Boswell's breakaway layup at the 13:32 mark gave the Orange and Blue a 61-40 lead. The Illini found another gear to put the game away, outscoring Penn 39-20 over the next 11 minutes to stake to a 100-60 lead with 2:49 to play.

Illinois' 105 points broke the program record for an NCAA Tournament game and the team's 35-point margin of victory is the second-largest NCAA Tourney win in program history.

Illinois advances to the NCAA Tournament Second Round, with the Illini set to take on No. 11-seeded VCU on Saturday. The Rams overcame a 19-point, second-half deficit in an 82-78 overtime victory over No. 6 seed North Carolina. 

HIGHLIGHTS

PRESS CONFERENCE

POSTGAME NOTES

Team

  • Illinois moves to 25-8, becoming the 11th team in program history to record 25 or more wins in a season.
  • Brad Underwood is the fourth coach in program history to lead the Illini to multiple seasons with 25+ wins.
    • Brad Underwood: 2026 (26-8) and 2024 (29-9)
    • Bruce Weber: 2006 (26-7), 2005 (37-2), and 2004 (26-7)
    • Bill Self: 2003 (25-7), 2002 (26-9), 2001 (27-8)
    • Lou Henson: 1989 (31-5), 1985 (26-9), 1984 (26-5)
  • Illinois moved to 47-36 (.566) all-time in NCAA Tournament games
  • Brad Underwood has led the Illini to NCAA Tournament wins in five of the previous six years.
    • Underwood is now 9-9 for his career in the NCAA Tournament, including a 7-5 mark at Illinois.
  • Brad Underwood improves to 10-6 (.625) against Fran McCaffery as the head coach of the Fighting Illini. Underwood was 9-6 vs. Iowa during McCaffery's tenure as the Hawkeyes' coach.
  • Illinois improves to 7-0 all-time vs. Penn, and 2-0 in matchups in the NCAA Tournament following the Illini's 68-58 victory over the Quakers in the first round in 2000.
  • The Illini are now 7-4 all-time as the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
  • Illinois is 4-2 all-time against the No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament, all coming in first-round matchups as a No. 3 seed.
  • The Illini are 35-16 (.686) as a higher (better) seed in the NCAA Tournament
  • Illinois is 27-9 (.750) all-time when playing its opening game of the NCAA Tournament
    • Illinois has won its first game in seven of its last eight NCAA Tournament appearances (2011, 2013, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026).
  • Illinois pulled down 48 rebounds the fourth most in an NCAA Tournament game in program history. 
  • Illinois scored a program NCAA Tournament single game-record 105 points on Thursday.
    • Previous record was 96 points vs. Northwestern State (3/19/2001).
  • Illinois 65 second-half points set a program-record for points in a period during the NCAA Tournament.
    • Previous record was 53 points scored in the second half vs. San Diego State on March 15, 2002.
  • Thursday's 35-point margin of victory vs. Penn in the NCAA Tournament was the second-largest winning margin in The Dance in Illinois program history.
    • Record is 41 vs. Northwestern State on 3/18/2001, in a 96-55 victory.
  • Illinois connected on 15-for-36 3-point field goals – a 41.6% rate.
  • 15 made 3-pointers is the second-most in an NCAA Tournament game for the FIghting Illini.

Players

  • David Mirkovic set Illinois rebounding record for an NCAA Tournament game (17) and tied for the fourth-most points in a tourney game (29).
    • First Illinois player to record 20+ points and 15+ rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game since Nick Anderson (24 points, 16 rebounds) in the 1989 Elite 8 vs. Syracuse (3/26/89)
    • Fifth 20-point game of the season
      • Broke the Illinois freshman scoring record for an NCAA Tournament game set last season by Will Riley vs. Xavier.
      • Tied for the fourth-most points in an NCAA Tournament game in Illinois program history.
    • 26th double-digit scoring game of the season, fifth consecutive.
      • Averaging 20.2points and 10.0 rebounds over his last five games
    • Team-leading 15th game with 10+ rebounds.
      • First Illinois freshman to record more than 10 rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game.
      • Set Illinois record for rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game, breaking the mark set by Nick Anderson (16) vs. Syracuse (3/26/89) and matched by Brian Cook vs. Notre Dame (3/22/23)
      • 17 rebounds are the second most by an Illini this season behind Mirkovic's 21 vs. Colgate.
    • Eighth double-double of the season (third in his last five games)
      • David Mirkovic is third freshman since 1973 with 25 points and 15 rebounds in an NCAA tournament game
      • Second freshman in Illinois history with a double-double in an NCAA Tournament game, joining Kasparas Jakucionis who tallied 16 points and 10 assists last year in a first round win over Xavier.
      • Reached double-figures in points (17) and rebounds (10) by halftime.   
    • 17th game of the season with multiple 3-pointers.
  • Keaton Wagler turned in 18 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal while connecting on 7-of-14 field goals and 4-for-7 3-pointers.
    • 25th consecutive game with 10+ points, and his team-leading 30th double-figure scoring game, overall.
      • 19.32 points per game since Dec. 6.
  • Kylan Boswell finished with 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist. The senior shot 5-for-9 field goals, 1-for-3 from 3-point range, and connected on two free throws.
    • 41st double-digit scoring game of his career (most among active Illini), 17th this season.
  • Tomislav Ivisic registered 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist in Thursday's win.
    • Went 4-for-7 from the field, 1-for-4 from deep, and a perfect 3-for-3 from the free throw line.
    • 16th game of the season in double-figures scoring, 38th of his career.
  • Ben Humrichous tallied 12 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist while equaling the team-best +35 +/-.
    • Finished 4-for-8 from 3-point range.
    • Ninth game of the season with 10+ points.
    • 15th game of the season with multiple 3-pointers, 11th in his last 15 games.
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