Two of the more surprising teams during March Madness are facing off for the regional final, or the Elite Eight, as the No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes take on the No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini for a ticket to the Final Four. Both teams are coming off massive upset wins, and the winner will likely be the lowest-ranked team to be in the Final Four this year.
Both teams have shown a lot of hunger, with Illinois beating No. 2 Houston, a team that was heavily favored against them and used to be the No. 1 team in the country. Meanwhile, Iowa defeated every single higher-ranked team en route to the Elite Eight, beating No. 8 Clemson before upsetting No. 1 Florida in an instant classic and then beating No. 4 Nebraska.
Iowa vs Illinois Basketball March Madness Elite Eight Projected Starting Lineups
Illinois Fighting Illini
- F David Mirkovic
- F Jake Davis
- C Tomislav Ivisic
- G Keaton Wagler
- G Kylan Boswell
Iowa Hawkeyes
- G Kael Combs
- F Cam Manyawu
- F Cooper Koch
- G Tavion Banks
- G Bennett Stirtz
Power forward David Mirkovic will be leading Illinois after his double-double against one of the best frontlines in college basketball, Houston. He will be leading it alongside star guard Keaton Wagler, who also had a double-double against the Cougars.
As for Iowa, their heroes against Nebraska came off the bench, with Alvaro Folgueiras providing some of the more emotional moments while Tate Sage had one of the best games of his college career. Starting guard Bennett Stirtz still led the team with 20 points, but the Nebraska game showed that even Iowa’s bench could play well.
Iowa vs Illinois Basketball March Madness Elite Eight Injury Report
Illinois Fighting Illini
- Toni Bilic: Out
- Ty Rodgers: Out
- Jason Jakstys: Out
Iowa Hawkeyes
- Peyton McCollum: Out
The Hawkeyes will only be missing Peyton McCollum, who has been out for a while now due to a foot injury. Illinois will have to make do once again without three players, meaning their rotation will not be as complete coming into this game.
Iowa vs Illinois Basketball March Madness Elite Eight Prediction
Both teams have shown that they belong in this tournament, but only one will move on to the Final Four. While Illinois had been very good so far, all the momentum right now belongs to Iowa. While Illinois may be the odds-on favorite, the Hawkeyes have shown that they can perform well even with their reserves, so this one should be an Iowa win.
Read More:
Top 10 Richest Rosters in 2026 NCAA Tournament Ft. $20,000,000 Worth Kentucky
5 Devastating NCAAB Injuries That Ended Seasons Ahead of March Madness ft. Caleb Wilson
Carmelo Anthony’s Son Kiyan Breaks Silence on Getting Benched Against No. 18 Virginia
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in baseball, tennis, college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
