Illinois Dominates Penn in First Round of NCAA Tournament, Advances to Face VCU

GREENVILLE, S.C. — No. 3 seed Illinois showcased a dominant performance, defeating No. 14 seed Penn 105-70 on Thursday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Fighting Illini advance to the second round, where they will face No. 11 VCU on Saturday.

Mirkovic Leads Illinois with Record-Breaking Performance

David Mirkovic led all scorers with 29 points and a remarkable 17 rebounds, setting a new Illinois program record for rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game. Keaton Wagler contributed 18 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds for Illinois (25-8). Kylan Boswell added 13 points, while Ben Humrichous and Tomislav Ivisic each scored 12 points.

Illinois’ Shooting Prowess and Rebounding Advantage

Illinois shot 50% from the field and connected on 15 three-pointers. They also controlled the boards, outrebounding Penn 48-25. Mirkovic’s performance in the first half was particularly impactful, scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to help Illinois build a 40-30 lead.

Penn Struggles, Power Limited by Illness

Michael Zanoni led Penn (18-12) with 20 points, shooting 9-of-18 from the field. TJ Power, the Ivy League champion’s key player who previously scored 44 points in a tournament-clinching win against Yale, was limited to six points on 2-of-8 shooting in 30 minutes after battling an illness. Penn coach Fran McCaffrey stated Power had received “four or five IVs” before the game but “wasn’t himself.”

Underwood Praises Mirkovic and Wagler

Illinois coach Brad Underwood praised Mirkovic’s physicality and impact, stating he was “the best player on the court tonight, especially in the first half.” Underwood also highlighted Keaton Wagler’s defensive effort against Power, calling his performance “phenomenal.”

Wagler Champions Mirkovic as Top Freshman

Wagler believes Mirkovic deserves recognition among the nation’s top freshmen, despite being overshadowed by other highly touted players like Duke’s Cameron Boozer, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa. “All year he’s been one of the best freshmen in the country,” Wagler said. “With this loaded freshman class we have, he’s been overshadowed a bit. He rebounds, plays physical, plays hard all the time. I think tonight he just showed what he’s capable of.”

Penn Shows Sportsmanship

Following the game, the Penn players walked as a team toward their fans, applauding and showing appreciation for their support.

Looking Ahead

Illinois will next face VCU in the second round on Saturday. Illinois defeated VCU 62-46 in their only previous meeting in 2016.