Illinois Basketball Triumphs Over Washington
In a thrilling contest on Thursday night, the No. 9 ranked Illinois basketball team achieved their tenth consecutive victory by overcoming Washington with a score of 75-66 in Champaign. Keaton Wagler led the way for the Illini, contributing 22 points and providing eight assists, showcasing his standout performance in front of the home crowd. David Mirkovic supported with 19 points and six rebounds, while Ben Humrichous added 14 points, helping the team improve to 18-3 overall and 9-1 in Big Ten play. This winning streak marks the longest during head coach Brad Underwood’s tenure and is the program’s most impressive stretch since the opening of the 2012-2013 season, where they also won 10 straight.
Player Highlights and Game Dynamics
Wagler’s scoring prowess has been evident throughout this season, as he has reached double figures in points for 13 consecutive games, totaling 18 times this season. On the opposing side, Washington, now at 11-10 overall and 3-7 in the conference, faced tough competition as they have lost six of their last eight matchups. Hannes Steinbach led the Huskies with a double-double, posting 15 points along with 12 rebounds. Complementing his effort were Wesley Yates III with 13 points and Zoom Diallo, who recorded 12 points and 10 assists.
Game Summary
The game began with Washington scoring the first seven points, but Illinois quickly responded with a 10-0 surge, taking the lead for good. The Illini entered halftime leading 33-26, a solid position, especially considering Washington has only managed to lead at the half in a Big Ten game once this season.
Shooting Performance
In addition to their scoring, Illinois displayed significant skill from beyond the arc, making 11 of their 33 three-point attempts, marking their seventh consecutive game with at least 10 three-pointers made. Humrichous was particularly effective, sinking four of his six attempts from long range. Despite struggling at the free-throw line—finishing with a shooting percentage of 62.5% after beginning with only four successful attempts out of nine in the first half—Illinois remains second nationally in free-throw shooting at 79.4%.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Washington will travel to Northwestern on Saturday, while Illinois is set for a formidable challenge against No. 5 Nebraska on Sunday. This matchup follows the Huskers’ last victory against Illinois, which remains the only loss for the Illini this season at the State Farm Center, a narrow 83-80 defeat on December 13.
