Illinois Fighting Illini 65, Houston Cougars 55
NCAA Men's · 2026-03-26 · Winner: Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois Fighting Illini defeated Houston Cougars 65–55 on 2026-03-26 in NCAA Men's play, a 10-point result. A 17-0 road team run ending at H2 11:54 swung win probability 53% → 0%. Below is the quarter-by-quarter linescore, a win-probability timeline, and an automated breakdown of why Houston Cougars lost.
Linescore
| H1 | H2 | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Fighting Illini | 24 | 41 | 65 |
| Houston Cougars | 22 | 33 | 55 |
Win probability
Turning point — A 17-0 road team run ending at H2 11:54 swung win probability 53% → 0%.
Why Houston Cougars lost
- Lost H2 33-41 - the worst stretch of the game.
- Gave up a 17-0 run ending at H2 11:54 (win probability 53% → 0% for the home side).
- Shot 41.4% eFG vs a 51.9% season average - a cold night.
- Outscored 12-2 at the free-throw line.
Scoring runs
| Team | Run | Ends | Win-prob swing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Cougars | 8–0 | H2 19:31 | 24% → 59% |
| Illinois Fighting Illini | 17–0 | H2 11:54 | 53% → 0% |
| Illinois Fighting Illini | 8–0 | H2 3:41 | 2% → 0% |