Half of the Final Four is set with Illinois and Arizona punching their tickets to Indianapolis following second-half comebacks in Saturday’s Elite Eight.
ESPN’s college basketball crew breaks down how both matchups were decided — and how each winner has put together a run this deep into March.
How Arizona won: For the first time since 2001, the Wildcats are headed to the Final Four. Against a veteran Purdue team, Arizona was led by its talented freshmen — Brayden Burries (14), Ivan Kharchenkov (18) and Koa Peat (20) combined for 52 points, unphased by the biggest stage of their young careers. Senior guard Jaden Bradley added 14 points.
The Wildcats looked ready to put the Boilermakers to bed early after jumping to a 19-12 lead at the 12:37 mark of the first half. But even after Purdue star Trey Kaufman-Renn picked up an early second foul, the Boilermakers clawed their way back. One key change came when Purdue coach Matt Painter inserted sophomore big man Daniel Jacobsen, just as Arizona’s first-half lead stretched to seven points. The 7-foot-4 center had played just four combined minutes in the previous two games, but his size was much-needed and his presence helped shift the tide. It didn’t last long, though. Arizona needed less than six minutes into the second half to reclaim the lead before pulling away.
The Wildcats broke the program record for single-season wins (36) that had stood since 1988, when Arizona reached its first of four Final Fours under legendary coach Lute Olson. This team, under fifth-year coach Tommy Lloyd, has a chance to pass all of them as the best in school history. — Kyle Bonagura
The Wildcats’ Final Four opponent: Winner of Michigan vs. Tennessee (Sunday)
No. 1 factor that helped Arizona reach the Final Four: The Wildcats’ relentlessness in the paint has been unparalleled, and it carried them when it mattered in the NCAA tournament.
For the season, Arizona ranked fifth in the country in paint points, averaging more than 42 in that area. It also led the nation in free throw attempts with nearly 20 points per game. Against another dominant paint team in Arkansas in the Sweet 16, Arizona had perhaps the most efficient interior performance ever seen in March: The Wildcats had 60 paint points and 30 points from the free throw line, the most combined points in an NCAA tournament game in the past 20 years. Then, after Purdue matched them down low in the first half of their Elite Eight showdown, the Wildcats played with an increased sense of urgency and imposed their will in the second half. The Wildcats finished with 40 paint points and 20 points from the free throw line, outscoring the Boilermakers by a combined 28 points in those areas.
It’s not just the post scoring from Peat or Motiejus Krivas, or the offensive rebounding from Tobe Awaka — it’s also the relentless attacking from Bradley, Burries and Kharchenkov. Tommy Lloyd preaches paint points, and it’s reflected in every aspect of his team’s offense.
How Illinois won: Brad Underwood believes that a team’s best player should have the green light. His star freshman Keaton Wagler certainly had it Saturday, scoring 25 points to send the program to its first Final Four in 21 years, ending Iowa’s Cinderella-like run.
Wagler was the captain of the ship, but the Fighting Illini’s victory looked far from a guarantee early. Down 12-2 to start, they struggled to find a solution for Hawkeyes star Bennett Stirtz. The second-team All-Big Ten selection had 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting by halftime. They also didn’t score until the 16:17 mark of the first half — their second-longest stretch without a point to open a game this season, per ESPN Research. But they were able to contain Stritz after the break, limiting him to 2-for-6 shooting in the second half while also heating up to score 43 of their 71 points in the final 20 minutes. — Myron Medcalf
The Fighting Illini’s Final Four opponent: Winner of Duke vs. UConn (Sunday)
No. 1 factor that helped Illinois reach the Final Four: The Illini’s offense is one of the most efficient in KenPom history, but it was their defense that sparked this run to Indianapolis. They held VCU to 55 points and 0.83 points per possession in the round of 32, Houston to 55 points and 0.94 points per possession in the Sweet 16 and then Iowa to 59 points and 1.08 points per possession in the Elite Eight. They have protected the rim and the paint at an incredibly high level, limiting all three of the aforementioned opponents to below 48% inside the arc. Iowa had just seven 2-pointers Saturday.
It’s a dramatic improvement from their defensive performance late in the regular season, when the Illini allowed six of their last nine opponents to score at least 1.17 points per possession, suffering five of their eight losses over that stretch. Their offense hasn’t missed a beat, but their defense suddenly looking like a top-10 unit has been a season-changing development for Brad Underwood’s team. — Jeff Borzello
