Illinois defense gets tough, ousts Houston to reach Elite Eight

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• Illinois defense gets tough, ousts Houston to reach Elite Eight

  Illinois held Houston to just 34% shooting in its lowest-scoring game of the season, as the Fighting Illini won 65-55 to advance to the Elite Eight.

  Publisher:ESPN GeneralArticle published: 2026-03-27 05:01:56.572Z

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• Illinois Freshman Duo Posts Historic Double-Doubles In 65-55 Win Over Houston In Sweet 16

  Third-seeded Illinois held Houston to its lowest scoring output of the season Thursday, beating the second-seeded Cougars 65-55 in the South Region Sweet 16. The Illini (27-8) advance to Saturday's Elite Eight against ninth-seeded Iowa, with a Final Four berth on the line. Illinois broke the game open with a 17-0 second-half run, pushing the lead to 44-26 with roughly 12 minutes remaining. Houston never recovered, at one point going nearly seven minutes without a field goal. "We were getting ...

  Publisher:RealGMArticle published: 2026-03-27 11:32:26 UTC