Illinois routs VCU to reach Sweet 16, where host Houston awaits

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Andrej Stojakovic scored 21 points and No. 3 Illinois beat 11th-seeded VCU 76-55 on Saturday to advance to the Sweet 16 for the second time in three seasons under coach Brad Underwood.

Tomislav Ivisic had 14 points and 11 rebounds and Keaton Wagler chipped in with 14 points for the Fighting Illini (26-8), who advanced to face South Region No. 2 seed Houston, an 88-57 winner over Texas A&M.

That regional semifinal game will be played in Houston, where a victory will move Illinois one step closer to its first Final Four since 2005 and its first with Underwood at the helm. Illinois is 3-2 all-time against Houston, but the Cougars won the most recent meeting 68-53 in the second round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

Underwood celebrated after the game by waving both arms up in the air simultaneously at the Illinois crowd.

Illinois, which had a huge height advantage, held VCU to 35% shooting and outrebounded the Rams 45-29. The Illini blocked five shots.

Terrence Hill Jr. had 17 points for VCU (28-8).

VCU’s Nyk Lewis went down for the game with a sprained right ankle in the opening minute and Illinois bolted to 20-8 lead.

But just as they did on Thursday night against No. 6 seed North Carolina, when they came storming back from a 19-point, second-half deficit to win 82-78 in overtime, the Rams got back in it with a series of 3-pointers to take a 28-26 lead behind 12 first-half points from Hill.

But VCU couldn't sustain the momentum.

Illinois took control late in the first half with Stojakovic scoring all nine points during a 9-0 stretch to close the half.

The second half was all Illinois.

The Illini pushed their lead to 17 early in the second half after VCU turnovers led to a high-flying transition dunk from Zvonimir Ivisic and Kylan Boswell's 3 from the top of the key to beat the shot clock.

The lead got to 23 with 4 minutes remaining, setting off a celebration among Illinois fans.