BOSTON — Illinois’ victory to advance to the Elite Eight was the definition of turn-but-don’t-break.
Iowa State has come close to its moment time and time again. For most of the second half, the Cyclones were one, maybe two plays away from turning the game in their favor, battling back from a double-digit deficit in the first half.
But each time, Illinois stopped. Then an offensive response. The Illini led just enough — always by more than one, never by more than six — in the final 10 minutes to earn a 72-69 victory Thursday at TD Garden, advancing to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2005 and setting up a juicy matchup with No. 1 UConn on Saturday at 6:09 p.m. ET.
Illinois vs. Iowa State on Thursday will pit the nation’s No. 1 offense against the No. 1 defense, according to KenPom.
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Illinois-UConn will be a matchup of the two most efficient offenses.
“We didn’t come here to win one game,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “We came here to win two.”
The first victory was not easy. Illinois and Iowa State both entered the Sweet 16 – winners of their conference tournaments and both won their two games last weekend by double digits.
To overcome the Cyclones, the Illini needed a defense to match their elite offense. Illinois held a third straight team under 70 points and held Iowa State to 29 percent shooting from the field in the first half en route to taking a 36-26 lead.
Although Iowa State’s offense found more rhythm in the second half, it was never able to tie an Illinois team that led for 39 minutes, 11 seconds.
When Terrence Shannon Jr., who led Illinois with 29 points, left the game with four fouls and 11:17 to play, Iowa State cut Illinois’ lead to 51-49. But after Cyclones forward Tre King made a steal, Keshon Gilbert missed a game-tying layup off the back rim. Illinois forward Dain Dainja, who played 35 minutes off the bench, quickly responded with a layup.
ISU pulled it within two, 53-51, and had the ball with a chance to tie when Coleman Hawkins missed two free throws with 6:49 left. But Curtis Jones, who led ISU with 26 points, missed a runner in the paint.
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Illinois cut its lead to six when Shannon and Luke Goode made 3-pointers 43 seconds apart.
“We have a super mature team,” Goode said. “I know coach talks about it all the time. When you’re in situations like that, the guys that were on the field saw it all.
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(Photo: Brian Fluharty / USA Today)