Illinois has ended a 21-year wait for a Final Four appearance by overpowering Iowa 71-59 in the NCAA Tournament's South Region final on Saturday. Freshman Keaton Wagler led the Fighting Illini with 25 points, while Illinois dominated the paint and controlled the boards to secure their first trip to the Final Four since 2005. The victory marks Illinois' sixth overall appearance at this stage of the tournament, though the program has yet to win a national championship.
Head coach Brad Underwood expressed his deep satisfaction with the milestone, highlighting the significance for his players after years of hard work. "It's better than I dreamt it would ever be," Underwood said. "Thirty-nine years in the business and that's all I'm going to say about my side of this. This is about these guys." The Illini are set to face either Duke or UConn next weekend in Indianapolis, with their sights firmly set on advancing further.
Wagler, who was named the South Region's Most Outstanding Player, reflected on the achievement with a mixture of pride and determination. "This is what kids dream of," he said. "I know I dreamed of this when I was growing up, playing in the Final Four, competing for a national championship. To be able to do it with the people around me, teammates, coaches, fans, managers, everyone, it means a lot... but we're not done yet." His words capture the team's mindset: reaching the Final Four is a milestone, not the final destination.
Illinois' success was underpinned by a dominant performance inside the paint and on the glass. The team outrebounded Iowa 38-21, with David Mirkovic leading the effort with 12 rebounds. The Illini also outscored the Hawkeyes 40-12 in the paint, using their size and physicality to control the game. Central to this frontcourt strength were Croatian twins Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic, standing 7 feet 1 inch and 7 feet 2 inches respectively, who have been standout performers throughout March. Tomislav Ivisic emphasized the importance of rebounding in the victory, noting that it kept Illinois in the game even when Iowa started strong.
Andrej Stojakovic, a key contributor born in Greece to Serbian NBA star Peja Stojakovic, added 17 points for third-seeded Illinois. His father watched proudly as his son helped lead the team to this significant achievement. Coach Underwood praised Wagler's toughness and steady demeanor, saying, "He gets probably not near enough credit for how tough he is because he's very unemotional and very stoic, but he's tougher than nails."
On the opposing side, ninth-seeded Iowa, under first-year coach Ben McCollum, made an impressive tournament run that ended with this loss. Bennett Stirtz scored 24 points for the Hawkeyes, who had earlier upset top-seeded Florida. Stirtz's journey has been closely linked to McCollum's, having played under him at Northwest Missouri State and followed him to Drake and then Iowa. Despite their best efforts, Iowa struggled with shooting and spacing, which McCollum identified as a key factor in the loss. "Our lack of shooting caught up with us," he said. "I think that we couldn't space it, and so when you can't space it, you can't get to the rim. So it just became a problem where we were having to take tough threes."
The game itself was competitive early on, with Illinois never leading in the first half and the teams exchanging the lead multiple times. Illinois took its first lead just after halftime and gradually pulled away. An 8-0 run sparked by Tomislav Ivisic helped Illinois take a 58-51 lead with less than five minutes remaining. Zvonimir Ivisic's alley-oop dunk extended the lead to 60-52, and despite Iowa's efforts to close the gap with free throws, Illinois maintained control down the stretch. Stojakovic and Wagler's contributions sealed the win, with Wagler's free throws making it 67-59 in the final minutes.
The game was briefly interrupted in the first half due to a buzzer malfunction that caused the horn to sound nonstop for seven minutes, delaying play for about ten minutes. McCollum acknowledged the disruption but emphasized the need to move forward, while also noting that Illinois' dominance on the offensive glass was a key factor in the outcome.
Illinois had previously defeated Iowa 75-69 in their only other meeting this season, a January contest. Along with Wagler, teammates Mirkovic and Stojakovic earned spots on the all-tournament team for the region. They were joined by Iowa's Stirtz and Nebraska's Pryce Sandfort.
Meanwhile, in the West Region final, Arizona secured its first Final Four berth in 25 years by defeating Purdue 79-64. The top-seeded Wildcats were led by freshman Koa Peat, who scored 20 points in the victory. Arizona (36-2) has made a significant turnaround under coach Tommy Lloyd, who has guided the team back to national prominence with a talented freshman class and experienced players like Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley.
Arizona demonstrated versatility and resilience throughout the tournament. After a nearly flawless offensive performance against Arkansas in the Sweet 16, the Wildcats shifted focus to defense against Purdue, holding one of the nation's most efficient offenses to just 38 percent shooting and limiting key players. Purdue's Braden Smith, who holds the NCAA record for assists, was stifled, as were seniors Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer, preventing them from finding their rhythm.
The game saw a pivotal 16-3 run early in the second half by Arizona, which erased a seven-point halftime deficit and gave them a six-point lead on a three-pointer by Anthony Dell'Orso. From there, the Wildcats maintained control, with Brayden Burries adding a three-pointer and Ivan Kharchenkov scoring a layup to extend the lead to 11 points. Peat capped the victory with a dunk that put Arizona ahead 68-55 with less than six minutes remaining, sending the Wildcats to Indianapolis on a 13-game winning streak.
Arizona's return to the Final Four under Lloyd signifies a resurgence for the program, which last made it to this stage in 1999. Their combination of youthful talent and veteran leadership positions them as strong contenders for the national championship.
In summary, Illinois and Arizona have both earned spots in the Final Four, ending long droughts and setting the stage for an intense battle for the national title. Illinois' dominance inside, led by a strong frontcourt and key contributions from Wagler and Stojakovic, helped them overcome a tough Iowa team. Arizona's balanced approach and defensive prowess propelled them past Purdue. Both teams now prepare to continue their pursuit of college basketball's ultimate prize in Indianapolis.