The energy was high in State Farm Center as No. 14 Illinois (3-0) secured the upset over No. 11 Texas Tech (2-1), 77-81. Although Illinois didn’t make a three in the second half, five players still ended the contest in double figures, further proving the roster’s versatility. As the Illini continue to have players come back from injury, their potential success only keeps increasing.
*Kylan Boswell (A): As expected, senior guard Kylan Boswell’s ability to be effective on both sides of the ball was crucial in this matchup. Luckily for the Illini, Boswell didn’t disappoint. The senior scored 22 points and shot 9-12 from the free-throw line. His ability to finish at the rim through traffic and draw fouls is a testament to his strength.
Even in the high-pressure moments, Boswell never seemed out of control. He kept a composure that comes from experience. Down the stretch, Boswell made clutch plays that kept the score in Illinois’ favor. The guard topped off his 20-plus point performance by knocking down two free throws to put Illinois up five with 15 seconds left. Boswell’s leadership and experience are irreplaceable, and the Illini are succeeding because of it.
“(Boswell’s) our leader,” said head coach Brad Underwood. “We follow him … He’s our guy. Downhill, open floor with the shooting we have with our five men, he can be very efficient and put himself in a position to be one of the best guards in America.”
Boswell did his job in helping defend Texas Tech sophomore guard Christian Anderson and limited his productivity. Boswell helped hold Anderson to eight points and 0-6 shooting from three. There were also times when Boswell got his chance to defend Texas Tech junior forward JT Toppin.
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“He’s a really good guard,” Boswell said of Anderson. “There’s a reason he’s one of the best point guards in the nation, but we did a lot of preparation and watched film … I think we did a great job of making his life hard tonight.”
Boswell’s defensive versatility can’t be overlooked. The guard defended two completely different players with opposite skillsets and executed guarding both. At his size, there aren’t many players who can do that like he did.
*David Mirković (B-): Freshman forward David Mirković wasn’t as dominant offensively as he was in the first two games. Mirković struggled to find a consistent offensive rhythm. With 11 points in 36 minutes, the freshman shot 5-13 from the field. The physicality of Texas Tech definitely affected the freshman as he struggled to score near the basket.
Mirković also only had four rebounds in the game compared to the double-digit rebounding numbers in the previous games. This won’t be the last time Mirković plays against a team with similar interior physicality as the Red Raiders. This was a valuable learning experience for the freshman to build upon further down the road.
*Jake Davis (C-): In comparison to his play in the first two games of the year, junior forward Jake Davis struggled to make an impact on either end of the floor. In only 15 minutes of play, Davis had zero points, one rebound and didn’t attempt a single field goal or free throw.
*Keaton Wagler (A-): Freshman guard Keaton Wagler was one of the difference makers in securing Illinois’ win. Against one of the best rebounding teams in the nation, Wagler had seven rebounds, leading the team alongside junior center Zvonimir Ivišić, with five of those being offensive. Wagler grabbed his final defensive rebound with eight seconds left to keep Texas Tech from tying up the game with another possession.
The freshman is clearly not shying away from physicality on either end of the floor. Against stronger opponents, Wagler still shows a desire to grab rebounds that other guards may not go after. This will help keep him on the floor even when he’s struggling to score.
Wagler went 0-3 in his three-point attempts in the contest. However, the freshman still found ways to score. Wagler attacked the rim and got to the free-throw line, shooting 5-6. With six seconds left, Wagler even hit a clutch free throw to make it a two-possession game. The freshman didn’t shy away from the big moments down the stretch and displayed his growing confidence.
“He’s very calm as a freshman, very poised,” said junior wing Andrej Stojaković of Wagler. “Off the court, he handles himself very well … He’s so talented and he doesn’t even know it yet, so trying to help him understand what he can be to this team later on this year.”
*Zvonimir Ivišić (B+): Ivišić proved what he can provide for the Illini offensively with his versatile skillset. Even at 7-foot-2, Ivišić played with guard-like qualities. From hitting step-back threes to scoring tough layups, running the floor, Ivišić showed off his athleticism for nine first-half points.
“We see the step-back three, we see the rip-drive layups, we see that side of things,” Underwood said of Ivišić. “And his confidence is just growing.”
On defense, Ivišić’s presence in the paint is unlike any other. His height and length allow him to protect the rim, which he did, recording three blocks. Ivišić also grabbed seven rebounds, proving he can be effective in that area as he becomes more consistent.
With Ivišić’s size, he won’t face many players this season who have an advantage over him there. Due to changes in strategy for both teams, Ivišić saw fewer minutes in the second half. Still, the junior needs to keep using his size and versatility for Illinois to continue its success.
Andrej Stojaković (A): In his second game back, Stojaković proved why Boswell worked so hard to recruit him to play in Champaign. The wing put up 23 points on 11-16 shooting, all coming off the bench. Illini fans had high expectations for Stojaković after he announced his commitment to Illinois. His performance on Tuesday lived up to those. Stojaković took advantage of Texas Tech’s undersized backout and seemed to get to the rim with ease.
Also, Stojaković seemed to play with more confidence than in his first game back from injury. He didn’t play sped up and let his scoring opportunities come to him instead of forcing them. This confidence was evident in the final minutes of the game as Texas Tech couldn’t stop him in the paint. This is only a preview of what Stojaković can do offensively, as it’s still early in the season.
“Great human being, great kid, works really hard,” Underwood said about Stojaković. “It’s unfortunate the injury, but he’s done everything we’ve asked for, and we will see how that keeps materializing.”
Underwood knew the potential Stojaković had to be an elite defender when he recruited him, and Stojaković showed why Tuesday. With his length on the perimeter, Stojaković can get in passing lanes and make it difficult for smaller guards to get shots off. He also assisted Boswell in containing Anderson, a skilled three-point shooter. As Stojaković continues to develop on that end, the Illinois defense will only improve.
“Kylan trusts me to guard the point guard, and I trust him, obviously, to guard an All-American like JT Toppin, who was phenomenal tonight as well,” Stojaković said. “It just shows the versatility that we have on that end.”
Ben Humrichous (C+): In 23 minutes of play, graduate student forward Ben Humrichous only made one three, shooting 1-5 from the field. Although he wasn’t strong offensively, Humrichous did grab six rebounds, an impressive feat against a talented rebounding frontcourt.
@evy_york2
