Illinois back in Final Four
Illinois reached the Final Four for the first time since 2005, with Brad Underwood pointing to defense and rebounding as the pillars of the run. (apnews.com) That return reshapes the national landscape and gives Illinois a shot at a deep tournament legacy revival. (x.com)
Illinois closed the South Regional with a 71-59 win over Iowa on March 28, 2026, at Houston’s Toyota Center before 17,010 fans. (espn.com) Freshman guard Keaton Wagler led Illinois with 25 points in 38 minutes, pouring in 14 of those points after halftime. (si.com) The Illini collected 16 offensive rebounds and 38 total rebounds to Iowa’s eight offensive and 21 total boards, a +17 rebounding margin that supplied second-chance opportunities. (espn.com) Illinois outscored Iowa 40-12 in the paint and shot 58% in the second half while holding the Hawkeyes to about 23.1% shooting after halftime. (basketball.realgm.com) Illinois entered the tournament as a No. 3 seed and opened the bracket against No. 14 Penn in Greenville before advancing through the South Region to Houston. (nbcchicago.com) The Fighting Illini will meet the winner of Duke vs. Connecticut in a national semifinal in Indianapolis on April 4, 2026 (game listed at 4:05 p.m. CT). (fightingillini.com) This trip marks the program’s sixth Final Four appearance overall, joining the deep runs of 1949, 1951, 1952, 1989 and 2005 on Illinois’ historical ledger. (sports-reference.com) Brad Underwood, Illinois’ head coach since 2017, reached the Final Four for the first time in his coaching career after a multi-decade ascent through the college ranks. (sports-reference.com)
