The Illinois Fighting Illini just went full-on beast mode Thursday, absolutely torching the Penn Quakers 105-70 in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The No. 3-seeded Illinois averaged 1.55 points per possession, the third-highest PPP in a March Madness game and the highest since the Villanova Wildcats averaged 1.57 points per possession against the Miami Hurricanes in the 2016 Sweet 16.
Freshman David Mirkovic led the charge with a historic outing, garnering 29 points and 17 rebounds. His rebounding count set a Fighting Illini NCAA Tournament record, while his scoring output set the program's freshman tournament high and tied for the fourth-most points ever by an Illini in March Madness. By halftime, Mirkovic had already racked up 17 points and 10 rebounds, helping Illinois take a 40-30 lead.
The Fighting Illini's offensive depth was a game-changer. Freshman Keaton Wagler contributed 18 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, while Kylan Boswell scored 13 points. Tomislav Ivisic and Ben Humrichous each put up 12, as Illinois shot 50% from the field, knocked down 15 three-pointers, and outrebounded Penn 48-25.
The Quakers tried to rally with a 9-0 run, but the Fighting Illini weren't having it. A 14-3 flurry earlier in the half and a 39-20 run midway through the second half turned the game into a rout, stretching the lead to as many as 40 points. The Illini's 105 points set a new program record for an NCAA Tournament game, while the 35-point margin was the second-largest tournament victory in school history.
Defensively, Illinois neutralized Penn's top scorer, TJ Power, who had scored 44 points in the Ivy League title game, holding him to just six points on 2-of-8 shooting. Michael Zanoni led the Quakers with 20 points.
With the win, the Fighting Illini improved to 25-8 and advanced to face the No. 11 seed VCU Rams in the second round on Saturday, at 7:50 p.m. EDT.
