Illinois Basketball Dominates Northwestern
In a commanding performance on Wednesday night, the No. 5 ranked Illinois basketball team dominated Northwestern, securing an impressive 84-44 victory at home. Andrej Stojakovic led the scoring for Illinois with 17 points, contributing to the team’s outstanding display from beyond the arc where they netted 17 three-pointers out of 38 attempts, resulting in a striking 44.7% shooting percentage from that distance.
Key Performers
Joining him in the scoring effort were teammates Keaton Wagler, Zvonimir Ivisic, and Ben Humrichous, all of whom scored 13 points each. Wagler, celebrating his 19th birthday, continued his scoring streak, having now achieved double figures in 15 consecutive games this season. In a highlight moment just before halftime, he sank a half-court three-pointer, creating a substantial 47-19 lead for the Illini. David Mirkovic also contributed with 12 points, while Tomislav Ivisic was a standout on the boards, grabbing 12 rebounds.
Defensive Dominance
Illinois’ defense was relentless, limiting Northwestern to a mere 29% shooting from the field and holding their leading scorer, Nick Martinelli, to just four points—19 points below his average—in 27 minutes of play. The Wildcats struggled significantly, failing to have any players score in double digits, with Tre Singleton managing only eight points.
Rebounding and Record
The rebounding battle was dominated by Illinois, who won that statistic 50-23. Remarkably, they have out-rebounded opponents in 20 out of their 23 games this season, compiling an impressive 18-2 record in such matchups.
Looking Ahead
This victory marks Illinois’ 12th consecutive win and maintains their strong conference play record at 11-1 within the Big Ten. Moreover, the Illini have now secured ten straight home victories against Northwestern, with an overall 76-14 record against the Wildcats at the State Farm Center. Previously this season, they defeated Northwestern 79-68 in Evanston, contributing to the Wildcats’ current stretch of five losses.
Looking ahead, Northwestern’s next challenge will be against Iowa on Sunday, while Illinois prepares to face No. 10 Michigan State this upcoming Saturday.
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