Mirkovic earns high praise after dominant performance against Penn
Not a bad March Madness debut from Mirk.
Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward David Mirkovic (0) shoots the ball against the Penn Quakers in the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images What an NCAA Tournament debut from David Mirkovic. The freshman from Montenegro played one of the best games an Illini has ever played in the tournament.
Mirkovic went for a career-high 29 points and grabbed a tournament program record 17 rebounds. “I thought he [Mirkovic] was the best player on the court tonight,” said Illinois head coach Brad Underwood. “Especially in the first half…his physicality, ten rebounds in a half and 17 points.
We talk about those being our daily vitamins with the rebounding piece. ” An undersized and overmatched Penn squad didn’t stand much of a chance against Mirkovic and the Illini frontcourt from the get-go. Illinois won the rebounding battle 48-25 and scored 44 of its 105 points in the paint.
“That’s what I do every day,” Mirkovic mentioned postgame. “In games I just crash the board and try to bring that physicality. Balls on the offensive glass were just like magnets to me because I was crashing.