BOSTON — The Illinois males’s basketball staff is so skilled that a lot of its gamers would not get carded at a neighborhood dive bar. They’re bodily sufficient that their entrance line seems prefer it could possibly be auditioning for linebacker spots on the NFL mix.
The Illini steadiness that age and edge with an offense that may hum like a jazz band, with prospers of deft passes and cuts which have shaped one in all nation’s best and efficient models.
That concord manifested itself in a first-half burst on Thursday night time and a closing kick that allowed No. 3 Illinois to outlast No. 2 Iowa State 72-69 within the spherical of 16 within the NCAA event on Saturday night time.
Illinois solved the nation’s best protection Saturday, leaping out with abandon within the opening minutes to construct a 13-point lead and by no means relinquishing the result in prime Iowa State, which reduce the result in two thrice within the remaining 10 minutes. Illinois scored the sport’s first eight factors and by no means flinched, enduring star Terrence Shannon Jr.’s second-half foul bother and flummoxing Iowa State’s offense.
The spot within the Elite Eight continues Illinois’ deepest NCAA event run since 2005, when the Illini misplaced within the nationwide title recreation. And the Illini teased with sufficient potential towards the Cyclones that they left followers at TD Backyard questioning if they might show a worthy foil to defending nationwide champion UConn once they meet Saturday night time with a spot within the Ultimate 4 on the road.
“We did not come right here to win one recreation,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood mentioned. “We got here right here to win two.”
UConn blasted No. 5 San Diego State 82-52 earlier Thursday to reaffirm the Huskies’ standing because the nation’s greatest staff and the event’s No. 1 general seed. UConn, which has misplaced only one recreation since late December, will face Illinois for the primary time since 1994.
There have been bursts in Thursday night time’s recreation the place Illinois seemed like a worthy foil. Junior ahead Luke Goode mentioned the Illini will take a “why not us” mindset into the sport as he mentioned the veteran Illini “have seen all of it.”
“I’ve extra of a respect for them,” mentioned Illinois ahead Coleman Hawkins. “I believe it is a larger degree of respect. I believe they have been enjoying nice all yr. I believe they’re well-coached, they usually do what they do.”
The linchpin of any Illinois upset bid on Saturday will probably be Shannon, the star guard who completed with 29 factors in Thursday’s win. That included sitting for greater than 5 minutes within the second half after selecting up his fourth foul with 11:17 remaining. He is averaging 28.3 factors per recreation within the NCAA event and has scored greater than 25 in seven straight video games.
Shannon hit a vital 3-pointer to spice up the Illinois result in 5 with practically 5 minutes to go.
“He is as aggressive an offensive participant as there may be within the nation, and he’s enjoying at such a excessive degree,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger mentioned. “You’ll be able to’t let a man like that get the alternatives that we allowed for him early the place he received his confidence going.”
Illinois and Iowa State entered the sport because the elite groups on reverse ends: Iowa State’s protection ranked No. 1 in adjusted defensive effectivity, and Illinois introduced the nation’s No. 2 offense.
However it was Illinois’ protection — not a defining trait — that ended up sealing the sport, as Shannon took a steal the size of the courtroom and dunked the ball with 24 seconds remaining to present Illinois a six-point lead.
Iowa State performed valiantly within the second half to return again, however its efforts have been undone by some self-inflicted wounds, because the Cyclones shot 13-for-28 on layups and dunks.
Illinois overcame its personal hints at self-destruction, flopping on the free throw line. Underwood joked the Illini missed “102 free throws” — in actuality they have been 15-of-29.
All 4 of Illinois’ main scorers are over 22 years outdated, and the collective roster is No. 11 within the nation in KenPom.com’s expertise metric. (Solely Creighton is larger amongst groups left within the event.)
“We have performed loads of faculty basketball,” mentioned Illinois guard Marcus Domask, a 23-year-old graduate scholar. “I’ve performed loads of groups which might be presupposed to beat us, should you say they’re presupposed to beat us.”
Otzelberger identified that every one of Illinois’ starters are 6-foot-6 or taller, giving them an imposing staff that set a bodily tone within the opening minutes towards the Cyclones.
“They’re undoubtedly an older, skilled, veteran group with some larger our bodies, they usually have been the extra bodily staff for a big a part of the sport,” he mentioned.
All that dimension and expertise go away the Illini respectful of UConn, however undaunted.
“That is what you put together for,” Goode mentioned. “It is tremendous thrilling to have the chance to go play the No. 1 staff within the nation within the Elite Eight. You’ll be able to’t ask for something higher, truthfully. It is a blessing for all of us to have that chance.”