Half of the field for the Elite Eight was set on Thursday night, as Arizona, Illinois, Iowa and Purdue all advanced with victories in their regional semifinal matchups in the men’s NCAA Tournament.
No. 3 seed Illinois held off No. 2 Houston 65-55 in the nightcap of the South Regional semifinal in what was essentially a home game for the Cougars. After a low-scoring first half between the teams, Illinois exploded offensively to take a double-digit lead and never looked back. The Illini will face Iowa in a Big Ten showdown Saturday for a spot in the Final Four.
In the West, top-seeded Arizona routed Arkansas 109-88 as the Wildcats continue their impressive season. Arizona was rolling in the first half, taking a 54-43 lead into halftime. The Wildcats scored more than 100 points for the fourth time this season. Arizona will face Purdue on Saturday.
The No. 2 seed Boilermakers advanced earlier in the day by outlasting No. 11 Texas 79-77, advancing to the Elite Eight for the seventh time in program history. Purdue big man Trey Kaufman-Renn tipped in Braden Smith’s missed layup with 0.7 seconds remaining, and the Longhorns’ desperation heave at the buzzer was too strong.
In the South, Iowa defeated Nebraska 77-71 to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 1987. Nebraska held a mere three-point lead at halftime, but Iowa took control when it mattered — inside the final two minutes of the game.
Here are the takeaways from Thursday’s Sweet 16 games:
No. 3 Illinois 65, No. 2 Houston 55
Illinois pulled off what many thought couldn’t be done — taking down Houston in essentially a road environment during the NCAA Tournament.
The Cougars led for just one minute, 29 seconds, and more importantly, Illinois answered every question about toughness. The Illini were the more physical team from start to finish, winning the rebounding battle 31-23 and outscoring Houston in the paint 24-18. That physical edge showed up at the line, too, where Illinois attempted 21 free throws to just two for Houston.
Future NBA lottery pick Keaton Wagler struggled from the field (4-for-14) but still delivered a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double for Illinois. David Mirković added 14 points, Andrej Stojaković provided a spark off the bench with 13 and Tomislav Ivisic chipped in nine points.
Houston never found an offensive rhythm, and Illinois capitalized on the Cougars’ aggressive defense by knocking down timely 3s off blown rotations. Another projected lottery pick, Kingston Flemings, finished with 11 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
Now the focus shifts to Houston’s future. With as many as four starters potentially leaving due to graduation or the NBA, the big question is how the Cougars regroup and rebuild for the future. — Tobias Bass, staff editor
No. 1 Arizona 109, No. 4 Arkansas 88
Arizona shot a sizzling 64 percent from the field as the top-seeded Wildcats cruised to a big win over fourth-seeded Arkansas at the SAP Center to advance to the Elite Eight. Arizona now has a chance to play in its first Final Four in 25 years.
Though the game was billed as a heavyweight matchup between freshmen guards Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas) and Brayden Burries (Arizona), it was the Wildcats who put on a show, as six different Arizona players scored in double figures, led by Burries’ 23. Acuff led all scorers with 28, but the Razorbacks had no answer for Arizona’s size. Arizona bigs Koa Peat (21), Ivan Kharchenkov (15 points) and Tobe Awaka (14) combined for 50 points. — Lindsay Schnell, college basketball staff writer
No. 2 Purdue 79, No. 11 Texas 77
This was a gritty game featuring 10 lead changes and 16 ties and went down to the final possession, with many in the SAP Center thinking it might be going to extra possessions too. The Longhorns cut the Boilermakers’ lead to one point with 59 seconds remaining after a second-chance basket, but a Braden Smith layup gave Purdue a two-point lead. After an exchange of free throws, Texas guard Dailyn Swain converted an and-1 layup, and his free throw tied the game, setting up Purdue’s final possession. Purdue will face the winner of Arizona-Arkansas on Saturday. The Boilers’ win overshadowed a nice run by Texas, which reached this far out of the First Four after entering the tournament with just one win in its last six games. — Schnell
Add a legendary moment to Kaufman-Renn’s notable career. Kaufman-Renn led Purdue with 20 points and eight rebounds, and his team needed every bit of productivity and hustle to hold off the Longhorns, whose gritty tournament run was defined by guard Tramon Mark. The senior, playing on a sprained ankle, had 29 points. However, it wasn’t enough to keep Purdue from making its third appearance in the Elite Eight in the past eight seasons. — Jerry Brewer, senior columnist
No. 9 Iowa 77, No. 4 Nebraska 71
The “Rumble in the Cornfield” delivered in Space City, and Iowa is headed to the Elite Eight after a six-point win over Nebraska. The Hawkeyes led for just two minutes, 10 seconds the entire night, but never flinched. They stayed within striking distance and trusted their closers — and it paid off.
With a future NBA first-rounder in Bennett Stirtz, the ever-clutch Alvaro Folguerias and sharpshooters Cooper Koch and Tate Sage, Iowa always had enough firepower. Stirtz led the way with 20 points and four assists, while Sage added 19 points and eight rebounds in a huge performance.
This one was all offense — 26 combined 3s, minimal whistles and defense at a premium. Nebraska looked in control for most of the game and got a massive 25-point effort from Pryce Sandfort, but couldn’t finish the job.
A few costly mental lapses down the stretch flipped the game, and Iowa took full advantage. The Hawkeyes may play at a slower pace, but this win showed they can speed things up when needed — and more importantly, close. Nebraska learned the hard way: even with the lead, you can’t let up for a second. — Bass
