Illinois puts on a show in 76-55 win over VCU to advance to Sweet 16

Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune on Mar 21, 2026

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GREENVILLE, S.C. — Andrej Stojaković dribbled behind his back to get a step on Terrence Hill Jr. in the first half Saturday night and then took off.

When he completed the slam over VCU forward Lazar Djokovic, he hung ever so slightly on the rim, looking back toward the Illinois bench with a satisfied look on his face.

It was all part of the Illini show for the crowd at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

There was 7-foot-2 center Zvonimir Ivišić taking a feed from Kylan Boswell near the 3-point line and somehow flying to the rim for a monster dunk, causing his teammates on the bench to leap around in celebration. There was Stojaković coming up with another big dunk on a Ben Humrichous assist in the second half. Tomislav Ivišić got in on the action with a couple of jams.

The No. 3 seed Illini were on their offensive game once again in Greenville — and turned in a pretty big defensive performance too — to top 11th-seeded VCU, 76-55. They advance to the Sweet 16 to play No. 2 seed Houston on Thursday in Houston.

Illinois will make its second Sweet 16 appearance in three years after making an Elite Eight run two years ago. The last time the Illini did that was a span of four appearances in five years from 2001-05, including the Elite Eight in 2001 and the national championship game in 2005.

Stojaković led Illinois with 21 points, including 16 in the first half to help the Illini gain a seven-point halftime cushion. Tomislav Ivišić had 14 points and 11 rebounds and Keaton Wagler added 14 points and five rebounds in a show of the Illini’s depth.

Illinois led by as many as 12 in the first half. But VCU’s aggressive defense forced the Illini into eight first-half turnovers, including on two straight possessions during a 10-0 Rams run. Tyrell Ward’s rebound and basket tied the game at 23-23 with 5:02 to play in the half.

The Illini got into early foul trouble, including two apiece in the first half by Tomislav Ivišić and David Mirković, who had started the game strongly on the offensive end. They both sat the final four minutes of the half, but Illinois pulled back into the lead thanks to Stojaković.

He scored 11 straight points for Illinois, including the big dunk and a pull-up jumper with 34 seconds to play in the half for a 35-28 halftime lead.

The Illini came out strong in the second half, with back-to-back 3-pointers from Wagler and Mirković and Tomislav Ivišić’s alley-oop dunk on a feed from Mirković to go up by 13.

VCU had come back from a 19-point second-half deficit to upset North Carolina in the first round on Thursday. But Illinois kept its foot on the gas to pull off the victory.

VCU lost starting guard Nyk Lewis to what appeared to be a right ankle injury in the first minute of the game.

Houston, the 2025 national runner-up, beat Texas A&M, 88-57, in the second round behind 18 points and four rebounds from senior guard Emanuel Sharp. Houston will be playing in its seventh straight Sweet 16, not counting the canceled 2020 postseason.