David Mirkovic, a 6-foot-9 forward from Montenegro, has become the top rebounder on an Illinois team currently ranked 10th in the country and seventh in rebounding margin. His performance has been instrumental for the team, which has been a top-10 rebounding team in each of the last three seasons. The team's top scorer, Keaton Wagler, has also contributed significantly to their rebounding efforts this season, breaking the Illinois freshman total rebounding record set by Kofi Cockburn six seasons ago. Illinois assistant coach Tyler Underwood emphasized the importance of rebounding in his program, which he has made a significant emphasis on this strategy. The Illini are currently playing in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight game against Iowa.