The Illinois basketball team took care of business against the Morehead State Eagles with an 85-69 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Moreover, senior forward Marcus Domask achieved a rare March Madness feat not seen since Ja Morant's days with the Murray State Racers.
Domask became the 10th player in NCAA Tournament history to record a triple-double, per David Worlock. He joined a stacked list including names like Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade, Gary Payton, Draymond Green, and 2019 Racers star Ja Morant. Here is the moment Domask made history:
Marcus Domask records the 10th triple double in NCAA tournament history 🙌pic.twitter.com/FLeHHxiwr4
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 21, 2024
The Illinois senior ended the Morehead State game with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Moreover, he is the fifth Illini to record a triple-double, joining Ayo Dosunmu (2x), Coleman Hawkins, Sergio McClain, and Mark Smith (1972), as noted by Jeremy Warner.
Domask did nearly everything on the court for the Fighting Illini on Thursday, yet it was not the first time he achieved such a feat. He told reporters the last time he had a triple-double was in high school, saying “I had a couple,” per Warner.
The all-around forward did not take all the credit for Thursday's victory though. Domask praised junior forward Dain Dainja after his 21-point-eight-rebound performance.
“Dain just gives us a presence down low. When Dain comes in, our team kind of changes and forces the team to adapt. Nine for nine is crazy. His presence down low is a hassle for teams,” Domask explained.
As noted, Dain made all nine of his shot attempts, making it even harder for Morehead State to overcome the Illinois deficit. The Fighting Illini put on an impressive team effort, but ironically, they were the ones being hunted in the first half.
From hunted to hunter: Illinois basketball's storming victory
Morehead State led the Fighting Illini 19-18 with 10 minutes left in the first half. March Madness bracket creators who chose Illinois were trembling in their seats. However, the Illini stormed back and took complete control of the game in the second half, which led to a 16-point victory.
The team would not have won without its incredible depth. Aside from Marcus Domask and Dain Dainja's displays, the Illini had two additional players score in the double-digits. Terrence Shannon Jr. put up a team-high 26 points in addition to four assists and two rebounds.
Meanwhile, Coleman Hawkins notched 10 points, five assists, and four rebounds. Illinois shot 54.2% from the field and a blazing 46.2% on three-pointers. They also blocked seven of Morehead State's shots.
If the Illini can maintain their high level of execution, they will continue to make a deep tournament run. Nevertheless, the team has their work cut out for them in the Round of 32.
Can Illinois keep dancing?
Illinois will face a fiery Duquesne basketball squad in their second-round March Madness matchup. The No. 11 seeded Dukes upset the BYU Cougars 71-67 on Thursday after some inspiration from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
Duquesne will enter their next matchup ready to fire on all cylinders. Yet, if Illinois can shut down senior guards Dae Dae Grant and Jimmy Clark III, the team has a high chance of advancing.
It will be interesting to see how things play out in Illinois' next matchup.
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