TUCSON, Ariz. – Freshman Jackson Buchanan closed with a team-low 68 during Sunday's final round of the National Invitational Tournament, helping the Illini move up one spot into a share for sixth against a strong field at OMNI Tucson National's Catalina Course.

Senior Adrien Dumont de Chassart remained as the Illini's top finisher overall, carding a closing 70, following Friday's rounds of 69 and 64, to secure a fourth-place finish with a career-low, 54-hole score of 203 (-13). 

Buchanan's 68 marked the second-lowest of his young career for the Illini and his three-round total of 212 (-4) marked a personal best through his first five collegiate events. He finished in a tie for 23^rd, along with teammate Jerry Ji who fired a 69 on Saturday. Buchanan's 68 moved him 21 spots up the individual leader board in Round 3, while Ji jumped 13 places.

Dumont de Chassart's fourth-place result marks his fourth top-five finish of the season, and his score of 203 ranks tied for 15^th all-time in program history. He has been particularly strong since the Illini returned from the winter break, carding sub-par scores in eight of nine rounds at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate, Southern Highlands Collegiate, and the NIT.

Senior Tommy Kuhl and sophomore Piercen Hunt finished tied for 53^rd at 217 (+1) after firing matching 73s during Saturday's finale, while senior Luke Armbrust, playing as an individual, also matched a career-low round with a closing 68 to move up 12 spots into a tie for 70^th in the 88-player field.

Overall the Illini, ranked 20^th in the latest GCAA Bushnell/GolfWeek top-25 rankings, finished with a three-round team score of 841 (-23) for the team's lowest of the season. No. 3-ranked Oklahoma State ran away with the team title at 53-under, followed by No. 13 Texas (-32), No. 7 Pepperdine (-28), No. 1 Oklahoma (-27) and host Arizona (-26) to round out to top five ahead of the Illini and New Mexico.

UP NEXT
The Illini return to action in early April, traveling to Augusta, Ga., for the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational. The event is hosted by Augusta University at Forest Hills Golf Club – just miles from Augusta National Golf Club – and takes place April 2-3, concluding just before the Masters tees off April 7.

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