The list of heroes in the Illini's Elite Eight win over the Iowa Hawkeyes wasn't filled to the brim with seniors. Instead, it was pieced together by young guns and new transfers, specifically: freshman point guard Keaton Wagler and transfer guard Andrej Stojakovic.
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood made the tough call to sit senior guard Kylan Boswell in the last few minutes of the game, opting to play Stojakovic as the 2 alongside Wagler at the 1.
To put it lightly, the decision paid off as the Fighting Illini built their minimal lead up to 12 points to secure their place in the Final Four.
Underwood's call to sit Kylan Boswell was the right one
Yes, it never feels great to see a senior who has poured everything into a program, especially one who is a native of Champaign, riding the bench during the last minutes of an Elite Eight game.
However, Underwood knew that his team needed the extra height on the court, Boswell standing at just 6-foot-2, while Stojakovic is an impressive 6-foot-7.
Between Stojakovic, 6-foot-9 David Mirkovic, 6-foot-9 Ben Humrichous, and 7-foot-1 Tomislav Ivisic, the Illini were literally towering over the Hawkeyes, and Iowa simply couldn't keep up with the massive lineup that Underwood had put on the floor.
Brad Underwood's adjustment to move Andrej Stojakovic to the 2 over the final few minutes was a game changer.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 29, 2026
Amplified Illinois' positional size and huge defensively.
Five players on the floor 6-6 or bigger. https://t.co/k4UETMX8Oa
The extra height shut down the Hawkeyes' offensive efforts in the second half, holding them to just 27 points over the final 20 minutes of the game, and undeniably clinched Illinois's place in the Final Four.
In the next round, Illinois will face a team significantly bigger than Iowa, no matter who wins the matchup between Duke and UConn. However, with Underwood's depth, which he clearly isn't afraid to tap into, the Illini should be just fine.
Also read: Incredible video of David Mirkovic after Elite 8 win shows just how much it means to Illini
On April 4, the No. 3-seed Illinois Fighting Illini will face the No. 1-seed Duke Blue Devils or the No. 2-seed UConn Huskies in the Final Four. Tip-off time will be announced after the final Elite Eight games have concluded.