A member of the Illinois Fighting Illini made history in Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament.
Wing Marcus Domask finished the team’s victory over Morehead St. with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. The triple-double marked the first in the NCAA Tournament since Ja Morant did it with Murray St. in 2019. Before that, we’d have to go all the way back to Draymond Green in 2012 with Michigan St.
This is the 10th triple-double in NCAA Tournament history, and Domask is only the NINTH player to join the club (Draymond Green did it twice). He’s also just the fifth player in Fighting Illini history (h/t Bret Behrens) to have such a game.
Here is the full list of triple-double performances via NCAA Stats:
Gary Grant (Michigan) – 1987
Shaquille O’Neal (LSU) – 1992
David Cain (St. John’s) – 1993
Andre Miller (Utah) – 1998
Dwyane Wade (Marquette) – 2003
Cole Aldrich (Kansas) – 2009
Draymond Green (Michigan St.) – 2011
Draymond Green (Michigan St.) – 2012
Ja Morant (Murray St.) – 2019
I think we can all agree, that’s some pretty impressive company from the senior wing!
Domask has been a major part of Illinois’ success all season long. He previously made a name for himself with the Southern Illinois Salukis before transferring to join the Illini ahead of this season. He’s averaged 16.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists during his time with the Big Ten Champs, helping them earn a 3-seed.
Still, in a season full of success, this might be his most memorable performance. The Illini were struggling to separate themselves from the No. 14 seed, as they sat with just a 39-38 lead at halftime. The team would immediately look like their dominant self in the second half, cruising to the 85-69 victory. Marcus Domask was a significant part of that.
You can watch some of the highlights from his performance here: