After meeting once in the college basketball regular season, Big Ten representatives Illinois and Iowa run it back with everything on the line in the March Madness Elite Eight. While neither team is fully healthy, neither will be missing any key rotational players.
Illinois has been playing without three players throughout the postseason, including former starter Ty Rodgers, who has not played a game in 2025-2026 while nursing a knee injury. Many Illini fans might not even realize that Rodgers, who started every game in the 2023-2024 season, is still on the roster. The redshirt junior has sat out each of the last two years and has not played a game since March 30, 2024.
Illinois also lists midseason signing Toni Bilic and redshirt freshman Jason Jakstys on the injury report. Bilic has not played a game all season, with Jakstys only appearing in nine contests before undergoing surgery to address blood clots.
Likewise, Iowa will have one player unavailable for the Elite Eight clash. Freshman guard Peyton McCollum has been out since Jan. 8 and has been the Hawkeyes' lone absence during their Cinderella-like March Madness run.
McCollum, the son of head coach Ben McCollum, has not appeared in a game all season. An injury to the coach's son has been the only negative part of Iowa's miraculous postseason run.
The four players missing the game will not impact either team's rotation, allowing the best versions of both to take the court Saturday night. Illinois took the regular-season meeting 75-69 on the road, which was part of its season-long 12-game win streak.
Illinois injury report
Toni Bilic, OUT — Undisclosed
Ty Rodgers, OUT — Torn patellar tendon
Jason Jakstys, OUT — Blood clot
Iowa injury report
Peyton McCollum, OUT — Foot
