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GREENVILLE, S.C. (WCIA) – The Illinois men’s basketball team is making its way to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years.
In a decisive victory, the Illini swept past VCU with a 76-55 win during the round of 32 on Saturday, showcasing their prowess in the latter half of the game.
Illinois kicked off the game with an impressive 11-2 lead, though the Rams quickly mounted a comeback. As VCU gained a lead with only 3 minutes remaining in the first half, Illinois junior guard Andrej Stojakovic stepped up, scoring 16 points and helping the Illini secure a 35-28 advantage by halftime.
Entering the second half with confidence, Illinois swiftly widened their lead, pushing it to 20 points by the middle of the half.
The highlight of the second half was a series of spectacular slam dunks by Illinois, including a breathtaking transition dunk by Zvonimir Ivisic.
The final 10 minutes were without much sweat for Illinois fans as the Orange and Blue kept VCU at arms length.
Stojakovic led the way in scoring with 21 total. Keaton Wagler, Kylan Boswell and Tomislav Ivisic joined him in double-digits on the score sheet.
It was a double-double for Tomislav Ivisic, scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Illinois will now play two seed Houston, in Houston, in the Sweet 16 next week.