Illinois beat Houston in the Sweet 16 by winning the glass, with Keaton Wagler's 12 rebounds bringing Brad Underwood's message to life.

Illinois basketball had one of the biggest wins in program history on Thursday night, and it was led by head coach Brad Underwood.

Illinois gave Houston a taste of its own medicine in the Sweet 16, riding a defensive performance to victory. Here are the highlights:

No. 3 seed Illinois' 17-0 run early in the second half propelled the Fighting Illini to a 65-55 win over No. 2 seed Houston on Thursday in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.

Kylan Boswell's third consecutive missed free throw in the final 2 minutes of Thursday night's game gave the Illinois guard pause. Boswell took a moment, stepped back from the free throw line and walked a few paces toward his teammates behind him who provided a few words of encouragement.

Illinois Republicans are starting to read the tea leaves — and they don’t exactly like what they’re seeing. As Democrats continue to overperform in legislative races across the country, GOP operatives here are wondering if the same trends could spell trouble closer to home come November.

Between 2021 and 2024, home insurance costs increased by about 50% in Illinois, and this year, the state’s insurance rates are expected to climb about 5%.

Illinois is Elite once again. Here’s what we saw as the Illini downed Houston to advance to the Elite Eight, where a Big Ten foe awaits.