Kentucky found strength in each other in win over Illinois to advance to Sweet 16

The Wildcats leaned on each other to get to the Sweet 16.

Mar 23, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Koby Brea (4) reacts after defeating the Illinois Fighting Illini in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Kentucky Wildcats are dancing onto the Sweet 16 in Indianapolis after getting an 84-75 win over 6-seed Illinois on Sunday night. Kentucky started out hot, going up by 13-5 early in the game, and the they fed off their own momentum from there on out. The Wildcats played great defense for much of thw game, but a big burst to start the second half was the bigger story.

Kentucky led by as much as 16 points in the second half. Illinois cut it to six with 1:36 left, but the Wildcats were able to hold on and feed off each other in the final minutes. They just never let up, and Mark Pope talked about the energy they had throughout the game.

"Our guys, they find strength in each other. There were a couple of well executed plays, but mostly it was our energy that our guys brought in the beginning of the second half and their intensity."

Pope on Kentucky's energy.

The Wildcats entered the game facing a team that played a fast pace, and love to shoot from three-point range a lot, and it was Kentucky's defense that set the tone to lead to those big runs on the offensive end. Kentucky held Illinois to just 9-32 from deep, but the turnovers was where the Wildcats made the biggest impact defensively, forcing 14 Illini turnovers and having 26 points off of them. Meanwhile, Illinois managed just eight points off five Kentucky miscues.

It was a special night in Milwaukee, as Mark Pope leads Kentucky to their first Sweet 16 since 2019, and it was all thanks to them finding strength in each other. Kentucky will now face Tennessee on Friday, which will be the first ever matchup between the two schools in the NCAA Tournament.