Illinois knocks off Iowa to reach Final Four after buzzer malfunction delay

For nan first clip successful much than 2 decades, nan Illinois men's basketball squad will still beryllium dancing erstwhile nan Final Four tips off.

Iowa’s underdog tally successful nan NCAA Tournament ended Saturday pinch a 71-59 nonaccomplishment to a ascendant Illinois team. Before Illinois could trim down nan nets astatine Houston’s Toyota Center, a buzzer malfunction caused a loud, astir 10-minute delay.

The buzzer initially sounded signaling nan extremity of a media timeout pinch conscionable nether 8 minutes remaining successful nan first half. The horn continued blaring for astir different 7 minutes.

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A referee talks pinch nan scorer's array during an official's timeout owed to a surgery changeable timepiece horn during nan first half of an Elite Eight crippled betwixt Iowa and Illinois successful nan NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 28, 2026, successful Houston, Texas. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Players stood connected nan tribunal fresh to play for a mates of minutes earlier some teams started to lukewarm up arsenic nan buzzer continued to sound.

It was yet silenced, to cheers from nan crowd, but past nan main scoreboard and video surface that hangs complete nan mediate of nan tribunal went dark.

The crippled yet resumed pinch nan large scoreboard still off. Two smaller scoreboards astatine each extremity of nan arena were working.

Freshman defender Keaton Wagler scored 25 points to thief unafraid Illinois' first Final Four berth since 2005.

Keaton Wagler (23) of nan Illinois Fighting Illini dribbles against Isaia Howard (23) of nan Iowa Hawkeyes during nan first half successful nan Elite Eight of nan 2026 NCAA Tournament astatine Toyota Center March 28, 2026, successful Houston, Texas.  (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

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This will beryllium nan sixth wide travel to nan Final Four for Illinois, which has ne'er won a nationalist title. The Fighting Illini will look either Duke aliases UConn adjacent week successful Indianapolis.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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