Basketball

The 19-point comeback by Virginia Commonwealth to knock off North Carolina in the first round Friday night wasn’t a coincidence to Rams head coach Phil Martelli Jr. - it’s what they are.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 20, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy VCU Athletics)

GREENVILLE, S.C. — The proper term to define Virginia Commonwealth men’s basketball following one of the largest second-half comebacks in NCAA Tournament history is something their first-year head coach saw before Thanksgiving.

“The word is resilience,” Rams head coach Phil Martelli Jr. said Friday in his media conference inside Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

The 44-year-old coach, who is the son and shared named of a legendary figure in the profession, saw that description of his basketball team in his second game on the job in Frisco, Texas when VCU found themselves down 57-40 to Utah State with 15 minutes left.

In what would become Martelli Jr.’s first loss at VCU, a 80-77 defeat on Nov. 7, the Rams (28-7) figured out a way to tie the game 76-76 with 34 seconds remaining and what should have been a deflating moment instantly became a building block.

“I knew right then and there, I said we've got something here,” Martelli Jr. said. “We've got something because we have that resilience and you can't be successful without it.”

So, being down 56-37 early in the second half to North Carolina, one of the most storied programs in sport on the game’s biggest stage of the NCAA Tournament wasn’t something this VCU squad needed to think was uncharted waters.

In his NCAA Tournament debut, Keaton Wagler had a tough time scoring in the first half but remembered the question his Illini coach always asks of his players that has nothing to do with offense.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 20, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Illinois head coach Brad Underwood has the same test for all of the players on his roster - show me value on the court when your shots aren’t falling.

Keaton Wagler passed that test Thursday night with the eyes of a nation focusing on his NCAA Tournament debut.

“Individual offense is fleeting,” Underwood said. “Our program will always be defined by the players in those jerseys being able to figure out what to do when the ball isn’t easily going in. I was telling our staff before I watched Kofi (Cockburn) play in a high school game where he had two points, and I watched Keaton play in a high school game where he had two points, and they both became All-Americans in college. It's not all about scoring points. It's all the intangible things they become about and the hard work.”

Through 20 minutes of play in the Illini’s first round matchup against Pennsylvania, the Ivy League Tournament champions, Wagler was having a cold shooting night but also what the 19-year-old would also call a typical first half.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_VjfxVwj6I    

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

March 20, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illini cruised to a 105-70 win over Penn on Thursday to move on to the round of 32 and a matchup with 11th seed VCU. David Mirkovic dominated the action with 29 points and 17 rebounds, while Keaton Wagler looked like his old self with 18 points, 7 assists, and 7 rebounds.

These 3 Things

Mirk Was Special - David Mirkovic called a team meeting, then went out and posted 29 points, 17 rebounds and 3 assists, setting records along the way.

Phil Martelli Jr.’s first NCAA Tournament victory as a head coach comes via a 19-point second-half comeback against North Carolina.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 20, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Former Illinois wing Adalia McKenzie made it to Greenville on Thursday to cheer on her husband for the first time in the NCAA Tournament.

Humrichous, who came to the game tonight averaging 6.1 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game in 22.7 minutes per game in the season, was entering his second NCAA Tournament in an Illinois jersey after playing in both NCAA games last season in Milwaukee.

“When I was a kid my dad used to pull me out of school during this time of the year, Thursday at noon, and then I’d be sick on the following day too,” Humrichous said. “Now it’s fun to think there’s some kid out there in the nation whose dad is doing that to watch me play in the NCAA Tournament.”

Humrichous and McKenzie were married on Dec. 23 - just one day after Illinois won the Braggin’ Rights Game over Missouri 91-48 in St. Louis.

McKenzie is not a stranger to NCAA Tournament play after she was a starter on the 2024-25 Illini women’s team that won the program’s first game, a 66-57 win over Creighton in Austin, Texas, in March Madness in 25 years. McKenzie finished 13th on Illinois’ career scoring list with 1,495 points across her four seasons with the program and closed her playing career last season ranked 16th on the all-time rebounding list at Illinois with 631 and ranked 11th all-time in program history in offensive rebounds with 272.

Believe it or not, before posting 29 points and 17 rebounds in his first NCAA Tournament game, Illinois forward David Mirkovic says he arrived at the arena Thursday night not feeling 100 percent.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 20 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Judging by how his personality is described by every single one of his teammates, of course his NCAA Tournament debut would be David Mirkovic’s best performance in an Illinois jersey.

Why wouldn’t it be? Mirkovic, a 20-year-old who has been called “a kindergartner” by his head coach and “just plain goofy” by the Illini’s senior leader Kylan Boswell, arrived to the Bon Secours Wellness Arena “not feeling his best physically”. With Mirkovic, who arrived in Champaign from the Balkan state of Montenegro showing an attitude of basketball instincts like he’s 30 years old but the humor and social dynamic of somebody who is closer to a 10-year-old, very little that comes in his path is considered normal.

Nonetheless, before arriving to his first NCAA Tournament game, the 6-foot-9 forward said his muscles felt sore and his legs felt tight.

“I just didn’t feel right. I felt off,” Mirkovic said to IlliniGuys.com with that child-like honesty.

Based on Mirkovic’s box score Thursday night, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood might hope Mirkovic feels similarly before every game of this 2026 NCAA Tournament.

By IlliniGuys Staff March 19, 2026 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood brushed off a question two weeks ago from IlliniGuys.com co-founder Brad Sturdy and the reality of that question bit him again in the Big Ten Tournament.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 19, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Brad Underwood would be wise to take the advice of the ancient philosopher Mick Jagger.

The Illinois head coach isn’t always going to get what he wants but if you try sometimes, he just might find he gets exactly what he needs.

Immediately after a 78-72 win at Maryland in the regular season finale on March 8, Underwood completely dismissed a question from one of my bosses - IlliniGuys.com co-founder Brad Sturdy - because he didn’t like the implication of Illinois struggling in close games.

“I like that’s a bunch of crap,” Underwood said. “You can think what you want to think but we pulled away in a lot of those too. Yeah, next question. I didn’t like that one very much.”

Let’s put aside the idea that Underwood “didn’t like that one very much” because there’s something every human being doesn’t particularly care for (or bemoaning the fact that they are currently unemployed) but they do it anyway because that’s called being professional.

An alternative answer could have been something like: “Yes. We know that postseason play begins starting now and the likelihood of blowouts from now on isn’t high so being able to show poise and maturity on the road against any team in this league is always a positive.”

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood and Pennsylvania head coach Fran McCaffrey have been close friends for decades and would obviously not face each other in a NCAA Tournament setting.

ILLINOIS vs. PENNSYLVANIA

Records: Illinois 24-8, 15-5 in Big Ten Conference; Pennsylvania 18-11, 9-5 in Ivy League

Date/Time/Place: Thursday March 19, 2026: 8:25 p.m. CST, Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina

Capacity: 15,000

ODDS: Illinois by 25.5

Series notes: Illinois leads 6-0. Illinois has never lost to Penn in the previous six times the two programs have face each other. The last meeting was Nov. 22, 2001 in Las Vegas when then-No. 2-ranked Illinois won 78-71. The two programs have faced each other in the first round of the NCAA Tournament once before - four-seeded Illinois defeated Penn 78-68 on March 17, 2000 in the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This would be the final victory that Lon Kruger would earn as the Illini head coach before his Illini lost in the second round to Florida and Kruger would eventually accept the head coaching position with the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association. Illinois head coach Brad Underwood has never faced Penn in his collegiate coaching career.

TV: TNT; Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Bill Raftery & Grant Hill (color analysts), & Tracy Wolfson (sideline reporter)

Local Radio (Illinois); Brian Barnhart (play-by-play); Deon Thomas (analyst)

National Radio: (Westwood One); Noah Eagle (play-by-play) & LaPhonso Ellis (analyst); SiriusXM – 208 or 201

GREENVILLE, S.C. — When the matchup against Illinois was revealed on Sunday, Fran McCaffery didn’t even have to check his phone to know he’d been getting a text message from his NCAA Tournament first round opposing coach. McCaffery also knew the text likely wouldn’t be suitable to children of a certain age.

The only conference championship game Underwood chose to watch on Selection Sunday was the Ivy League Final to watch his friend, McCaffery, lead Pennsylvania over top-seed Yale to earn the school’s first NCAA bid since 2018.

“It was a text that you would expect Brad (Underwood) to send,” the first-year Pennsylvania head coach, who is an alum of the Ivy League school, said Wednesday with a smile.

In this event, coaches at this level have to face the reality of being opposite of some of their very favorite people in a survive-and-advance type situation that will ultimately send their buddy home and crush their dream for that season.

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

March 19, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illini are in Greenville as they prepare to take on the Penn Quakers and a familiar face in former Iowa coach Fran McCaffrey. Penn finished 3rd in the Ivy League and defeated top seeded Yale on Sunday to grab the NCAA bid behind a massive performance from TJ Power, who appears to be under the weather. Of course, that means we may see a flu game from him, so the Illini must be prepared for this one and cannot take the Quakers lightly.

Here’s a look at the particulars.

Setting the Stage
2026 NCAA Tournament // First Round // South Region
#3 Illinois (24-8, 15-5 B1G) vs. #14 Penn (18-11, 9-5 Ivy)
Thurs, March 19 // 8:25 p.m. CT (9:25 p.m. ET) / Greenville, S.C. / Bon Secours Wellness Arena
TV: TNT – Ian Eagle (Play-By-Play), Bill Raftery & Grant Hill (Analysts), & Tracy Wolfson Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Deon Thomas (Analyst) National Radio: Westwood One – Noah Eagle (Play-By-Play) & LaPhonso Ellis (Analyst) Satellite Radio: SiriusXM – 208 or 201

Notable
*Perspective is a wonderful thing, although fans are often very hyper focused on their own team and it makes it difficult. Illinois is a 3 seed in the NCAA tournament for the second time in 3 seasons and the 10th overall seed. Numerous national pundits have the Illini advancing to the Final Four, and the oddsmakers give them the 7th best chance at cutting down the nets. This team is good.

*They did limp to the finish, but the question becomes if the close game losses are a pattern or a series of bad luck situations that will work themselves out over the next 3 weeks.

*The defense has been an issue, but there have been flashes as well. The first half against Wisconsin was excellent, the second half saw a let down, but it shows that it is in them. Things can get better. Purdue was 233rd in defensive efficiency in February to early March, and then were on lock in the Big Ten tournament. Illinois needs a similar transformation.

North Carolina guard Luka Bogavac could be on the same floor with his SC Derby club teammates, Tomislav Ivisic and David Mirkovic, if UNC and No. 3 seed Illinois meet in the NCAA Tournament second round.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 19, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Unable to go back to their home countries for the holiday season, Tomislav Ivisic called his former roommate and one of best friends to quickly plan a Christmas trip to the beach.

For the first time since that holiday break vacation, Ivisic and North Carolina guard Luka Bogavac find themselves in the same place, Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolona, for the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

“Neither of us, being college basketball players and being so far from home, had more than a couple days for Christmas so I texted him if he wanted to get together,” Ivisic said. “(Bogovac) is one of my best friends in this world and probably will be for the rest of our lives.”

If both players from Balkan states see their teams win on Thursday, Ivisic and Bogavac will see themselves on the same court since being teammates at the 2023-24 SC Derby club team based in Podgorica, Montenegro.

“(Ivisic) was a roommate when we played on the road for SC Derby and he helped me with everything and just was always there for me as a teammate,” Bogovac said Wednesday. “He gives off this robotic deal in public but in private, he’s funny and he cares about people. He’s all about winning so if you’re about winning, he’ll instantly be your friend.”

He played in 55 games over the last two seasons for SC Derby where nearly half of those were spent traveling with Ivisic in a club league that includes teams from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates and Romania. During the year he played and was roommates with Ivisic, Bogovac averaged 7.8 points and was 28 for 87 from three-point range in 26 games during the 2023-24 campaign. The bond and friendship from Ivisic, who averaged 7.1 points per game, 1.3 assists per game, and one block per game while shooting 57.4 percent from the field including 42.3 from 3-point range, allowed Bogovac to see his averages skyrocket to 14.9 points per game in 2024-25 once Ivisic was starring in his first season with the Illini.

After receiving his fourth All-America honors this season, Illinois […]

TJ Power, Pennsylvania’s top player who had 44 points […]

Penn’s five players from state of Illinois eyeing upset of 3-seed Illini on Thursday night.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 18, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

GREENVILLE, S.C. — As he approaches his fourth NCAA Tournament, Kylan Boswell had to pause when asked if he still gets nervous before playing in this event.
Boswell is one of the rare players in college basketball who have experienced the NCAA Tournament in each of his four seasons and will be making his second appearance in an Illini jersey.

“I’m sure when I’m in this locker room (Thursday) night before that first game the butterflies will be there,” Boswell said Wednesday from the Bon Secours Wellness Arena locker room. “The difference for me in this fourth time is you begin to realize its just another 40-minute basketball game.”

During last year's NCAA Tournament in Milwaukee in which then-No. 6 seed Illinois defeated Xavier in the first round but fell to Kentucky two days later, Boswell averaged 19 points, four rebounds and four assists. For his career, Boswell owns NCAA Tournament averages of 11.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

“This one is different for me obviously because (Illinois head coach Brad Underwood) is stressing to me about the abruptness of the end,” Boswell said. “I want my end to be a national championship and I’ve said it before this week already but I just don’t care about anything else than doing everything I can for us to go 1-0 six different this week.”

It should not surprise fans of the Illinois program, Fran McCaffery has an offense-centric Ivy League program at Pennsylvania similar to what he coached at Iowa for 15 seasons.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 18, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy The Wharton School)

CHAMPAIGN — It may be a first in NCAA Tournament history that a head coach got first-hand knowledge of his first round opponent because he was invited to attend that team’s shoot-a-round just two months ago.

In preparation for turned out to be a 73-65 victory over Penn State on Jan. 3 in The Palestra in Philadelphia, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood invited a friend and current head coach of the tennant of that historic building, Pennsylvania head coach Fran McCaffery, to his team’s shoot-a-round.

McCaffery, who attended and played for Penn and has returned to coach his alma mater to leads his fifth different program into March Madness in his first season at the Ivy League program.

“It was great being in The Palestra this year and seeing him…and just seeing him genuinely just so happy,” Underwood said on Sunday. “He’s at Penn, in The Palestra and he’s back home. His sheer joy for coaching and being back at his alma mater is really cool.”