David Mirkovic has 29 points and 17
rebounds to lead No. 3 Illinois to 105-70 rout of No. 14 Penn
[March 20, 2026]
By STEVE REED
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — David Mirkovic had 29 points and 17
rebounds, and No. 3 seed Illinois dominated No. 14 seed Penn 105-70
on Thursday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Keaton Wagler added 18 points, seven assists and seven rebounds for
the Fighting Illini (25-8), who moved on to face No. 11 VCU in the
second round on Saturday.
Kylan Boswell had 13 points, while Ben Humrichous and Tomislav
Ivisic each chipped in with 12 as Illinois shot 50% from the field,
made 15 3-pointers and outrebounded the much smaller Quakers 48-25.
Michael Zanoni finished with 20 points on 9-of-18 shooting for Penn
(18-12), the Ivy League champion.
TJ Power, who scored 44 points in the Quakers' overtime win over
Yale that got them into the tournament, finished with six points on
2-of-8 shooting in 30 minutes after missing the previous two
practices with an illness that left his status for the game
uncertain.
Illinois coach Brad Underwood said Wagler did a “phenomenal" job
guarding Power.
“He gave up the last 3 before the end of the half (to Power), which
I wasn’t very happy with, but his touches were very hard,” Underwood
said.
Mirkovic set the tone for Illinois with a huge first half, as his 17
points and 10 rebounds helped the Fighting Illini build a 40-30
lead.
“He was the best player on the court tonight, especially in the
first half, his physicality,” Underwood said. “Ten rebounds in a
half and 17 points. Again, we talk about (rebounds) being our daily
vitamins and we had a 28-14 advantage at half. Then it was just
delivering body blows.”
Illinois continued to grab rebound after rebound and stretched the
lead to 23 with 10 minutes remaining after Mirkovic came up with a
steal and fed Zvonimir Ivisic for a transition alley-oop dunk.
“Their size was tough to contend with,” Penn guard Cam Thrower said.
Mirkovic's 17 rebounds where a school tournament record. He said the
ball was finding him like a magnet on the offensive glass.
“That’s what I do every day, even practices,” Mirkovic said. “I just
crash the board trying to bring that physicality. I was crashing and
I got a lot of easy points on the rim.”
[to top of second column] |
Illinois forward David Mirkovic (0) celebrates with Illinois guard
Keaton Wagler (23) during the second half in the first round of the
NCAA college basketball tournament against Pennsylvania, Thursday,
March 19, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Wagler: Mirkovic is nation's most overlooked
freshman
There has been plenty made about the talent of this year's freshman
class that includes Duke's Cameron Boozer, Kansas' Darryn Peterson
and BYU's AJ Dybantsa.
Wagler, a second-team Associated Press All-American as a freshman,
believes Mirkovic deserves to be mentioned in that class.
“All year he’s been one of the best freshmen in the country,” Wagler
said. “With this loaded freshman class we have, he’s been
overshadowed a bit. He rebounds, plays physical, plays hard all the
time. I think tonight he just showed what he’s capable of.”
Fran McCaffrey said AJ Power wasn't 100% healthy
Penn coach Fran McCaffrey said Power had “four of five IVs” before
the game but simply “wasn't himself” after battling an illness.
But he credited him for battling through and playing the entire
first half.
“That is one tough kid there,” McCaffrey said. “I love him. He
tried. He was sick for two days. We thought he was going to get
better. ... But you could tell, in particular on the glass, because
he’s an elite rebounder, that he didn’t have quite the energy or the
explosion that he normally does."
Penn players say thank you to followers
After the game the Penn players walked in unison over toward their
fans and applauded them. Some tugged at their jerseys and waved and
others blew kisses. The fans applauded and cheered back, with one
yelling, “Next year, boys!”
Up next
Illinois beat VCU 62-46 in the only meeting between the schools in
2016.
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