Illinois Freshmen Duo Power Elite 8 Run

Rebounding standouts David Mirkovic and Keaton Wagler lead Illinois to NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight

Mar. 28, 2026 at 9:49am

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Illinois will rely on a pair of do-it-all freshmen, David Mirkovic and Keaton Wagler, as they take on Big Ten rival Iowa in the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight. Mirkovic, a 6-foot-9 forward from Montenegro, and Wagler, a guard from Kansas, have been key contributors on the boards, helping the Illini become one of the top rebounding teams in the country.

Why it matters

Illinois' emphasis on rebounding has been a hallmark of head coach Brad Underwood's tenure, and the emergence of Mirkovic and Wagler as dominant rebounders has fueled the team's deep tournament run. Their ability to crash the boards from different positions has given the Illini a significant advantage, especially against taller opponents.

The details

Mirkovic, who played professionally in Europe before coming to Illinois, has always had a natural feel for rebounding. With the Illini's emphasis on crashing the boards, he has taken his game to new heights, averaging a team-high 10.7 rebounds per game in the tournament. Wagler, the team's leading scorer, has also been a revelation on the glass, pulling down 8.0 rebounds per game, including a career-best 12 in the Sweet 16 win over Houston.

  • Mirkovic broke the Illinois freshman total rebounding record set by Kofi Cockburn six seasons ago in the Sweet 16 win over Houston.
  • Mirkovic and Wagler became the first pair of freshman teammates to each have a double-double in the same NCAA Tournament game since freshmen became fully eligible in 1972-73.

The players

David Mirkovic

A 6-foot-9 freshman forward from Montenegro who played two seasons of professional basketball in the Adriatic Basketball Association League before coming to Illinois, where he has emerged as the team's top rebounder, averaging a double-double in the NCAA Tournament.

Keaton Wagler

A freshman guard from Shawnee, Kansas, who is the team's leading scorer, averaging 17.7 points per game in the tournament. Wagler has also been a revelation on the boards, pulling down 8.0 rebounds per game, including a career-best 12 in the Sweet 16 win over Houston.

Brad Underwood

The head coach of the Illinois basketball team, who has made rebounding a pillar of his program. Underwood previously worked under Bob Huggins at Kansas State, where he was exposed to Huggins' aggressive rebounding schemes.

Tyler Underwood

An Illinois assistant coach who has helped implement the team's rebounding philosophy, which includes tracking individual players' 'go rates' and emphasizing the importance of crashing the boards from all positions.

Kelvin Sampson

The head coach of the Houston Cougars, who praised Wagler's toughness and rebounding ability after the Sweet 16 matchup against Illinois.

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What they’re saying

“His frame doesn't scream 12 rebounds, but his toughness does.”

— Kelvin Sampson, Houston Cougars head coach

“We knew that (Chris) Cenac and (Joseph) Tugler, they back tap a lot of balls. They're elite at it. So our bigs were going to have to hit bodies, but our guards were going to have to come clean it up. So we needed a big, big rebounding game from our guards. I thought Keaton just takes everything to heart. He's had some big rebounding games this year, but to do this in this moment – you guys got to understand what a joy it is to coach him, and he doesn't worry about needing to score points.”

— Brad Underwood, Illinois head coach

“We have some similarities in our personality, like we are both Gen Z, I would say. The second thing, we had a lot of similarities, basketball-wise. Like we are pretty similar players despite different positions. … I would say our understanding and IQ of basketball and our unselfishness and skill level, that makes us unstoppable.”

— David Mirkovic, Illinois freshman forward

“My first impression of him is that he's a goofy guy who likes to mess around, but then in practices, he's super competitive. He hates losing drills, no matter what it is. I knew we were gonna get along after that because I'm competitive. I don't like to lose.”

— Keaton Wagler, Illinois freshman guard

What’s next

The winner of the Illinois-Iowa matchup in the Elite Eight will advance to the Final Four, where they will face the winner of the other regional final between Gonzaga and UCLA.

The takeaway

Illinois' emphasis on rebounding has been a key factor in their deep NCAA Tournament run, and the emergence of freshmen David Mirkovic and Keaton Wagler as dominant rebounders has been crucial to the team's success. Their chemistry and complementary skill sets have made them an unstoppable duo, and their willingness to do the dirty work on the boards has given the Illini a significant advantage over their opponents.