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LAS VEGAS -- Behind a strong second-half showing and dominant defensive display, No. 19 Illinois took down No. 8 UCLA, 79-70, in its opening-round matchup of the Continental Tire Main Event.
Terrence Shannon Jr. tied a program record with eight three-pointers, recording a game-high 29 points, while Dain Dainja, Matthew Mayer, and Skyy Clark also registered double figures in the win.
Illinois outscored UCLA in the second half, 51-33, holding the Bruins to 37.5 percent shooting in the closing frame.
The Illini notched eight steals and four blocks and forced 15 turnovers, scoring 17 points off those turnovers.
Despite playing in Las Vegas, Illinois fans made it feel like a home game, creating a sea of Orange and Blue inside T-Mobile Arena.
The Illini led by as many as seven in the opening half, but they trailed at the break. Shannon registered a first-half double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Illinois set the tone defensively early and often in the first frame.
Illinois flipped a switch early in the second half, sparked by back-to-back steals from Sencire Harris, both of which led to Illini baskets.
A 10-0 run over a two-minute stretch turned a narrow Illinois deficit into a six-point advantage with eight minutes to play, with Dainja moving into double figures for his fourth straight game.
Three Shannon 3-pointers over a five-minute stretch pushed the Illini lead to 10, and that advantage climbed as high as 12 late in the game.
Illinois will take on No. 16 Virginia on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT in the Main Event final.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Illinois has started a season 4-0 for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign, Brad Underwood's first season at the helm of the program.
- Illinois earned its first win over a Top 10 opponent since defeating No. 5 Iowa on March 13, 2021, in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
- The Illini are 11-10 against AP Top 10 opponents in the Underwood era.
- The Illini are now 4-6 all-time against UCLA.
- First win over the Bruins since Dec. 21, 1996, a contest played at the United Center in Chicago.
- Illinois made 12 3-pointers in tonight's game, the second time this season that have hit at least 12 shots from deep.
- The 48.0 percent (12-25) mark from behind the arc is a season high.
- The Illini bench outscored the Bruins 21-15 in tonight's contest.
- Through four games this season, the Illinois bench has outscored its opponents 141-69.
- Illinois outscored UCLA 51-33 in the second half.
- The Illini outscored the Bruins 18-8 in the paint.
- Illinois shot 56.7 percent (17-30) in the final frame.
- Senior Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 29 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 3 assists.
- Shannon Jr. made eight 3-point field goals, matching the program record. He is the sixth player in program history with such a performance.
- Shannon Jr. recorded a first-half double-double (10 pts, 10 reb). It's was his first double-double of the season.
- The Chicago native eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in his career in the second half.
- Shannon Jr. has reached the 20-point mark in three of four games this season. He has tallied double-digits in all four contests this season.
- He is third Illini player since the 2010-11 season to scored at least 29 points and grab at least 10 rebounds in a game. Kofi Cockburn and Malcolm Hill each had four such games in their career.
- Redshirt sophomore Dain Dainja scored 13 points and secured three rebounds.
- Dainja has tallied double-digits in points in all four games this season
- Fifth year Matthew Mayer scored a season-high 11 points, shooting 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.
- Junior Coleman Hawkins posted a career-high seven assists.
- Freshman Skyy Clark matched his career-high with 10 points scored. It's the second time this season he has reached double figures.
