GREENVILLE, SC (WAND) -- 3-seed Illinois defeated 14-seed Penn Thursday night in a dominate 105-70 victory.
The message from Brad Underwood all week, stay loose, have fun, let it fly. And the Illini did just that against the Quakers.
It helps when Illinois’ youthful shooters are able to contribute. Despite a rocky start, Keaton Wagler joined Mirkovic with 18pts of his own.
Their connectivity came to the forefront, with a trio of other players reaching double digits as well, lifting Illinois to its highest point total ever in the NCAA tournament.
Players weren’t shy about their frustrations in the big ten tournament, but with new life here at the big dance, their hope for what’s ahead is at an all time high.
But while confidence is key, too much of it can lead to their downfall. So keeping a cool head is important to sustaining their success.
Illinois will now face 11-seed VCU Saturday night in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.Â
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