The Illinois basketball team is on a run for the ages, as they've reached their second Elite 8 in the last three years after beating the Houston Cougars 65-55.
The Illini put on a clinic on the defensive side of the ball against Houston, holding Kelvin Sampson's bunch to their lowest point total of the season. Illinois played with an intensity and emotion that we've been looking for all season long, and now they're one step closer to a trip to the National Championship.
Illinois is clicking on all cylinders at this point in the season and is having fun doing it. The 'Balkan Boys' are putting on a show alongside Big Ten Freshman of the Year Keaton Wagler, so much so that big men David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic were having a little fun in the postgame interview.
"Secret. I can't tell you." 😂
— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) March 27, 2026
David Mirkovic & Tomislav Ivisic were sharing secrets as they caught up with @LaurenShehadi 🤫 @IlliniMBB pic.twitter.com/pbBSitX8fl
Mirkovic, a product of Niksic, Montenegro, had another top-notch outing in his third tournament game with the program. In just 34 minutes of play, the big man was able to record 14 points and 10 rebounds on 6-of-13, 46%, shooting from the field.
Mirkovic has become a pivotal part of Illinois' squad since he first arrived in Champaign, and has become the perfect running mate with the Ivisic twins in the post. They have become so close as teammates, and it looks like they're swapping secrets that Lauren Shehadi is not allowed to know about.
David Mirkovic will continue to be a pivotal piece of the Illinois basketball success in the NCAA tournament
Illinois has needed Mirkovic's legendary run to start the NCAA tournament, as he has recorded two double-doubles while leading the Illini in two of their first three games. The stretch-four has an immense amount of talent with the ability to either stretch the floor and hit three-pointers or use his body to back opposing bigs down in the paint.
This young man has been something special, and I expect him to continue this run against an Iowa Hawkeyes squad that's given up 15+ points to forwards in each of their past three games. If Mirkovic is on his game on Saturday night, he has enough talent to put Ben McCollum's bunch on notice all game long.
Granted, there is a chance that the Hawkeyes figure out a way to slow him down. But with Illinois' offense, there are plenty of other scorers who can make up for it with good defense. Whether it's Wagler, Andrej Stojakovic, or even Kylan Boswell, if one Illini struggles, then there's always another to pick things up.