Illinois Triumphs Over Indiana
In a commanding performance on Sunday, No. 8 Illinois defeated Indiana with a score of 71-51, marking a crucial turnaround after suffering two consecutive losses in overtime.
Key Performers
David Mirkovic led the charge for the Illini with an impressive 25 points and seven rebounds. Kylan Boswell, who had been sidelined for seven games due to a broken right hand, made a notable return to the lineup. Despite his hand being heavily secured with bandages, Boswell managed to contribute with nine points and seven rebounds while being on the court for nearly 33 minutes, committing just one of the team’s two turnovers.
In addition to Mirkovic’s standout performance, Keaton Wagler added 18 points and Tomislav Ivisic notched 14, including a strong second-half showing of 12 points. The Illini, now holding a record of 21-5 overall and 12-3 in the Big Ten Conference, rebounded effectively after disappointing losses to Wisconsin and No. 10 Michigan State in their previous outings. Ben Humrichous, while struggling with his shot as he finished 0 for 7 from the field, excelled in rebounding, leading the team with eight boards.
Indiana’s Struggles
For the Hoosiers, Lamar Wilkerson was the standout scorer with 21 points, including 14 in the first half, while Tucker DeVries and Sam Alexis chipped in with 13 and 11 points respectively. Indiana, who came into the game with five victories in their last six matches following a rough patch of four consecutive losses, found themselves outclassed in the second half, where they were outscored 33-20, falling behind after a close first half that ended 38-31 in favor of Illinois.
Game Highlights
The Illini demonstrated dominance on the glass, securing 15 offensive rebounds, which translated to 17 points from second-chance opportunities, and out-rebounded Indiana 38 to 25.
Notable Attendance
In attendance at the State Farm Center during the All-Star break were former Illinois players and current NBA rookies, Kasparas Jakucionis (Miami Heat) and Will Riley (Washington Wizards), notable as the first one-and-done talents from the university.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Indiana is set to face No. 13 Purdue on Friday while Illinois will travel to Southern California for their next contest on Wednesday.
