Illinois Basketball: Kelvin Sampson Credits Physicality in Illini’s Sweet 16 Victory

Illinois Basketball went into H-Town and dug deep to grind out a physical, hard-fought 65-55 victory over coach Kelvin Sampson and the 2nd-seeded, hometown Cougars.

ILLINOIS IS ON TO THE ELITE EIGHT WITH A WIN OVER THE HOUSTON COUGARS

They play Iowa next, for a chance to go to the Final Four.

Wow pic.twitter.com/vax9D1HsQG

— Armchair Illinois (@ArmchairIllini) March 27, 2026

From the opening tip, coach Brad Underwood’s crew was stout defensively. The Illini took away Houston’s clean looks, while also limiting second-chance opportunities with a strong effort on the boards, led by freshman standouts Keaton Wagler (12) and David Mirkovic (10). Despite a somewhat loose start offensively, Illinois also kept turnovers in check, finishing with just 9, which is right in line with their season average. Luckily for the Illini, that mix of discipline and high-energy defense kept Houston from ever finding a consistent rhythm.

David Mirkovic led the way for Illinois with a strong double-double performance of 14 points and 10 rebounds that ultimately set the tone for Illinois. Keaton Wagler fought tirelessly through a slow start before entering the second half with a vengeance – firing off 13 points and snagging a season-high 12 rebounds. Certainly, a couple of hats off performances by two true freshmen, to keep the Illini’s final-four dreams alive. Andrej Stojakovic additionally contributed 13 points of his own to keep the Illinois offense steady. Notably, the talented Junior sparked the Illini’s offense during a couple of momentum swings in Houston’s favor.

The defining moment of the night, however, came in the second half, when a 17–0 run really opened the game up for Underwood and the Illini. Despite a late rally from Kingston Flemings and the Cougars, Illinois energy, in addition to the deficit from the costly unanswered run, ultimately was too much for coach Sampson’s squad to overcome.

According to Sampson, physicality and grit are why Illinois “deserved” to come out on top and advance to the regional final.

Why Kelvin Sampson Believes Illinois Basketball “Deserved” to Advance to the Elite Eight

Coach Sampson tipped his cap to Illinois after a hard-fought and physical battle, praising Brad Underwood’s group and the level both teams brought over 40 hard-fought minutes. In his view, it was exactly the kind of matchup you expect when two heavyweights go toe-to-toe this late in the tournament.

“First of all, congratulations to Coach Underwood and his team. They have a good team, but so does Houston. I thought both teams were worthy of winning this game.”

From there, Sampson zeroed in on Illinois’ work on the glass, which was a major defining factor, as the Illini limited second-chance opportunities. Notably, he thinks Illinois is one of the best rebounding teams his talented group has faced all season.

“The two best rebounding teams we’ve played against this year have been Arizona and Illinois. Both those teams are really good rebounding teams, and you can tell that’s the big emphasis of those staffs.”

Ultimately, Sampson made it clear that the end result reflected what he saw on the floor all night long. Even in disappointment, he acknowledged that Illinois earned the win at the end of the day.

“Credit Illinois. Good for them. I’m disappointed in my kids, but Illinois kids deserve to win that game.”

Onto The Elite Eight vs Border Rival Iowa 

Now, the focus shifts to a familiar opponent with a Final Four berth on the line. With heated rival Iowa standing in the way, Illinois Basketball is one victory away from its first Final Four appearance since Bruce Weber’s 2004-05 team advanced to the national title game in a magical run led by Dee Brown, Deron Williams, Luther Head, and James Augustine.

Illinois will face Ben McCollum’s Hawkeye’s on Saturday at 5:09 PM CT, on TBS and TRU TV. The Illini do enter as 6.5-point favorites, but the matchup brings a different kind of challenge, with familiarity playing factor in the Illini’s highest stakes matchup since a 77-52 Elite Eight loss to UConn back in 2024.

For Brad Underwood’s crew, a win sends the Illinois Basketball program to its first Final Four in 21 years.

Yes. Illinois will play Iowa in the Elite Eight, like all brackets predicted

Huge opportunity for both teams. Illinois CANNOT let up on Saturday and has to come with the same defensive mentality. Take advantage of this opportunity, stay focused. pic.twitter.com/5R133XDmse

— Armchair Illinois (@ArmchairIllini) March 27, 2026

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