The Perth Wildcats completed a successful road trip with a 106-99 victory over the Illawarra Hawks at the WIN Entertainment Centre on Saturday, January 31, 2026. Despite a valiant effort from the home side, the Wildcats' experience and execution in crunch time saw them secure back-to-back wins. Illawarra, fueled by a passionate home crowd, led for stretches of the game thanks to hot outside shooting. However, Perth's methodical half-court offense and ability to get to the foul line gradually wore down the Hawks. A key sequence in the final five minutes, featuring a steal and a transition three-pointer, swung momentum permanently in Perth's favor. The result strengthened the Wildcats' hold on a top-four spot, while the Hawks were left to reflect on another close loss against a championship contender.