The Illinois Fighting Illini used hot second-half shooting to take down the Iowa Hawkeyes 71-59 on Saturday, punching their ticket to the Final Four.
TOP NEWS
Iowa hit the ground running on both ends of the floor, jumping out to a 9-0 lead before Keaton Wagler finally put Illinois on the board. The Fighting Illini responded with a 9-0 run of their own to make it a one-point game after eight minutes of action.
The Hawkeyes continued to score in bunches throughout the first half, but Illinois stayed in the mix. By halftime, Iowa led by four.
In the second half, Wagler helped Illinois slowly take control of the matchup. They got a hot hand of their own when it mattered most, going on an 8-0 run with less than five minutes to play. The Fighting Illini were suddenly in front by eight.
In the final minutes, Illinois pounded the paint with force, securing the victory.
Wagler led the way with 25 points on 8-of-17 shooting while Andrej Stojakovic finished with 17 points and five rebounds on 7-of-9 shooting.
For the Hawkeyes, Bennett Stirtz led the way with 24 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Illinois will now face the winner of Sunday’s matchup between Duke and UConn in the Final Four.
James Parker contributed to this story.
