The Illinois basketball team put on an absolute clinic in their opening round matchup against Penn, and continued their offensive explosion with a 76-55 rout of the VCU Rams.
The Illini had the lead for about 90% of this contest, with their largest lead reaching 25 points with about 1:52 left in the second half. They put on a show on the offensive side of the court, with the undersized Rams desperately trying to hold on for dear life.
VCU did put up a reasonable fight late in the first half of this game as they went on an 18-6 run to tie the game at 26. But they just couldn't keep the magic from round one going, and allowed Illinois to basically run away with it in the second half.
This was a one-sided affair for Brad Underwood and Co., which turned into a major statement game prior to their Sweet 16 matchup vs. the Houston Cougars. But who are the top players from this matchup that we should be tipping our caps to for a job well done?
1. Andrej Stojakovic put the team on his back coming off the bench
The son of the great Peja Stojakovic was absolutely sensational in the NCAA tournament Round of 32. Stojakovic was the perfect spark plug that Illinois needed early in this game.
Stojakovic could not be stopped in his 26 minutes of play off the bench, as he recorded a total of 21 points and four rebounds on 58% shooting from the field. He was a catalyst for the Illini to get out of their funk in the first half, as he scored the team's final 11 points to put them up 35-28.
Andrej Stojakovic off the bench to send Illinois to the Sweet 16:
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) March 22, 2026
21 PTS | 7-12 FG | 26 MINS pic.twitter.com/fXbI4Z5ekf
His dynamic ability to drive the lane like an NFL running back gave Underwood an element to the game that he desperately needed. The Illini needed someone to squash VCU's 18-6 run midway through the first half, and Stojakovic did just that with his toughness in the paint and uncanny ability to create shots.
2. Tomislav Ivisic used his immense size to bully the opposition in the paint
It's always nice to have a 7-foot-1 center on your team, and one of Illinois' big men just recorded his second double-double in an NCAA tournament game. The junior from Croatia put on a clinic in the paint for the Illini and became an absolute nightmare for an undersized VCU squad to guard.
Tomislav Ivisic certainly had the size advantage when compared to the Rams' frontcourt, and that showed with his 14 points and 11 rebounds in just 22 minutes of work. The big man was pivotal in limiting VCU's chances throughout the game, grabbing three offensive and eight defensive boards in the contest.
Ivisic was an immovable object against the Rams' much smaller guards, limiting their ability to drive the ball inside. He became a major reason why Illinois was able to keep their opponent at the perimeter to force tough shots that just wouldn't fall. If Ivisic can continue this dominance in the next round against Houston, then the Cougars are going to have a major problem on their hands.
3. Keaton Wagler continued to show the world why he is one of the best freshmen in the country
Keaton Wagler is the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and has become a March Madness darling with his story of being underrecruited out of high school. The freshman guard out of Shawnee, Kansas, has been the face that runs the place for the Illini this season, and he continued that success Saturday night against VCU.
It was another dazzling display of offensive proficiency from the young man, as Wagler came away from this bout with 14 points and five rebounds on 50% shooting from the field. The young man continued to make his mark when it meant the most, as he has now scored 12+ points in five of his last seven games.
Keaton Wagler creating a TON of space on the step-back three 🔥 pic.twitter.com/7HGxd9p4fO
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 22, 2026
Wagler is a very special player who has all of the tools to be a top draft pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. His unique skill set, which was completely overlooked by some of the top programs in the country, makes him the most lethal scoring threat on the Illinois basketball team.
If Illinois wants to continue to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament, then Wagler will certainly have a say in it. His fingerprints will be all over the blueprint for their success, and Illinois fans couldn't be more thrilled to have him as a part of the team.