The 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball South Region Champion was crowned Saturday night at the Toyota Center after No. 3 seed Illinois took down No. 9 Iowa 71-59 to keep dancing all the way to Indianapolis. The fighting Illini came out on top behind a season-high 25-point night from freshman guard Keaton Wagler to lead Illinois back to the Final Four for the first time since their 2005 season where they finished as runner-ups in the championship game.
Keaton Wagler. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Keaton Wagler. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois Basketball. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Bennett Stirtz. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Kylan Boswell. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Keaton Wagler. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Tomislav Ivisic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois Basketball. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Keaton Wagler and Ben Humrichous. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois fans. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Tomislav Ivisic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Zvonimir Ivisic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Andrej Stojakovic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Tate Sage. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois Basketball. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Andrej Stojakovic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Tomislav Ivisic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Tomislav Ivisic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Andrej Stojakovic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois Basketball punches their ticket to the final four. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Cam Manyawu and Isaia Howard. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Andrej Stojakovic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Keaton Wagler takes his name plate after the Elite Eight win. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois Basketball. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Iowa bench and Cheerleaders. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Kylan Boswell and Ben Humrichous. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Tomislav Ivisic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois Basketball wins the South Region. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Bennett Stirtz. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois Basketball. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Kylan Boswell. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois Basketball. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Tavion Banks. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois Basketball. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Zvonimir Ivisic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Keaton Wagler and Kylan Boswell. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Tip-off in Houston. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Keaton Wagler. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Keaton Wagler. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Tomislav Ivisic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Andrej Stojakovic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Bennett Stirtz. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Andrej Stojakovic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Iowa mascot. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Cooper Koch. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois band. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood, Tomislav Ivisic, Andrej Stojakovic and Keaton Wagler. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Keaton Wagler. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Bennett Stirtz. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois fans. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Isaia Howard. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois Fans. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Zvonimir Ivisic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Keaton Wagler. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Andrej Stojakovic and Isaia Howard. 
Illinois fans. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois Cheerleader. Credit: Sean Thomas 
David Mukovic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Alvaro Folgueiras. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois Cheer. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Keaton Wagler. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Isaia Howard. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Cooper Koch. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Keaton Wagler. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Andrej Stojakovic. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Cam Manyawu. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Keaton Wagler. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Iowa Fans. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Keaton Wagler. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Ben Humrichous. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Iowa Fan. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Keaton Wagler. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Alvaro Folgueiras. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Illinois Fan. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Bennett Stirtz and Kael Combs. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Ben Humrichous. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Tavion Banks. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Brad Underwood. Credit: Sean Thomas 
Andrej Stojakovic. Credit: Sean Thomas