Indiana Stuns Illinois, Likely Secures NCAA Tournament Trip After Big Ten Tourney Upset

The Hoosiers will likely go dancing for the first time since 2016 after a huge Big Ten tournament quarterfinal win.

Indiana has likely punched its ticket to the Big Dance following its stunning 65–63 upset of top-seeded Illinois in the Big Ten tournament on Friday.

The ninth-seeded Hoosiers have not appeared in the NCAA tournament since 2016.

☑️ First #B1Gtourney semifinal appearance since 2013

☑️ First No. 9 seed to make semis since 2002@IndianaMBB pulls off the upset, and advances to the weekend. pic.twitter.com/YHsi3p5wU5

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 11, 2022

The back-and-forth quarterfinal matchup came down to a free throw contest in the final 2:45 of regulation with the Hoosiers up 62–59.

Illinois forward and National Player of the Year candidate Kofi Cockburn hit four free throws in a two-minute span to give his team a 63–62 lead. That advantage would be short-lived after Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis made a pair of FTs after drawing a foul on Cockburn with 26 seconds left. 

A costly turnover from Illinois guard Trent Frazier and a missed scoring opportunity by guard Andre Curbelo in the final 11 seconds sealed the team’s fate as Jackson-Davis would get the chance to seal the game at the line with one second on the clock.

Cockburn led all scorers with 23 points and contributed 10 rebounds and two blocks. Jackson-Davis, meanwhile, scored a team-high 21 points to go with seven rebounds and three assists.

Indiana is going to the NCAA tournament.

— Kevin Sweeney (@CBB_Central) March 11, 2022

SI’s Kevin Sweeney listed Indiana as a bubble team to watch entering Friday, and now has the Hoosiers locked in as a No. 11 seed, and one of the last four teams with a bye in the field. 

The Hoosiers will continue their shocking tournament run on Saturday when it squares off against the winner of No. 4 Rutgers and No. 5 Iowa.