No. 16 Illinois (13-3, 4-1) extended its winning streak to five games after defeating No. 19 Iowa (12-4, 2-3) 75-69 behind three double-digit performances from its perimeter stars. Although the Hawkeyes’ bench took over in the second half to claw back within single digits, the Illini held onto their lead and stayed undefeated on the road in Big Ten play. Even in the high-pressure moments of the game, Illinois remained composed, demonstrating its maturity and confidence in executing its game plan.
“We talked a lot about handling the moment and not getting riled,” said head coach Brad Underwood. “Sometimes, I don’t have timeouts. I don’t want to call them. I need to save them. So, we got to play through those moments and have some composure.”
*Kylan Boswell (A): Defense led to offense for senior guard Kylan Boswell as he led the Illini to a big-time victory on both ends of the floor once again. For Illinois to leave Iowa City victorious, keeping Iowa senior guard Bennett Stirtz from getting hot was a must. As expected, Boswell was tasked with defending Stirtz whenever the pair were on the floor together, and Boswell excelled at the assignment. He held Stirz to 12 points on 5 for 17 from the field, snapping Stirtz’s streak of 20-plus point games. Boswell’s effort was one of the key factors that led to Illinois picking up the road win.
“(Stirtz) is one of the best point guards in the country,” Boswell said. “No doubt about it. (I) came with the mentality, though, that I just wanted to shut him down today. They were on my tail all week … I watched a ton of film on him. I think I did the best I could to just basically try to get him out of the game.”
Boswell’s perimeter pressure allowed him to record three steals in the contest, which turned into an automatic offense for Illinois. The senior guard reminded everyone how dangerous he is out on the open floor, capitalizing on his steals and getting to the rim with ease. Boswell finished the game with 17 points on 7 for 13 shooting alongside three assists.
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“It’s amazing when (Boswell’s) that dialed in how good his offense comes along and his rebounding,” Underwood said. “But, Kylan’s unique … He’s got great strength. He’s got ultra quick hands.”
Even when the Illini were out of sorts at times during the second half, Boswell remained a dependable, veteran presence. He didn’t let Iowa’s small runs or the crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena rattle him. This helped Illinois put the game away as much as anything, as Boswell was able to make clutch free throws and finish at the rim down the stretch.
*Andrej Stojaković (A-): Although Sunday’s game had the earliest start time the Illini have played all year, junior wing Andrej Stojaković was wide awake from the jump. Stojaković used his size and athleticism to his advantage by attacking the paint and finishing efficiently through traffic. His footwork near the basket was also impressive, showcasing his patience in creating an uncontested shot.
The junior ended the first half as Illinois’ leading scorer with 13 points on 5 for 10 from the field, looking as dominant as he’s been in weeks. Stojaković appears to be settling into the Illini offense over the past few games, and it’s no secret that the Illini are benefiting from it during this winning streak.
“I feel like in the past, I’ve been allowed to make more mistakes,” Stojaković said. “I think that Underwood and the staff, and of course, my teammates have allowed me to play more calm and value each possession more.”
Stojaković played a quieter second half across the board, only recording 4 points and one rebound, but that doesn’t take away from his positive impact on Sunday’s game. He is continuing to find ways to keep himself on the floor for longer periods of time aside from scoring. Stojaković had another solid showing on the glass as he grabbed five rebounds, proving that he’s beginning to become consistent in this area at the right time.
*Keaton Wagler (A-): When Illinois needed freshman guard Keaton Wagler to step up in the second half against Iowa, he didn’t disappoint. After a tough first half, only scoring 3 points on two field goal attempts and committing two fouls, Wagler kept his head in the game. The freshman stepped up to the plate in the second half by scoring 16 points, including three 3-pointers and five free throws.
“(Wagler’s) just accepting what he needs to be for this team,” Boswell said. “He’s one of the best players on this team. He has the ball in his hands 90% … He’s the guy who needs to have the ball in his hand in those moments. He’s proven over and over again. The first day he stepped onto practice, I knew he was legit, and I had no problem with leaning on him, and he leans on me.”
Wagler’s play through the final nine minutes of the game was crucial to propel the Illini to a victory against their border state rival. When Illinois was struggling against Iowa’s bench play, Wagler knocked down threes and hit free throws that kept Iowa from pulling ahead. His poise and composure were on display once again in a tough Big Ten road environment. Wagler didn’t back down from knocking down critical shots late into the game, a testament to the young player’s self-confidence and the confidence the entire Illinois program has in him. There is a reason Wagler is quickly moving up NBA draft boards, and again, he proved why on one of the biggest stages.
“We’ve seen teams that are physical,” Underwood said. “We’ve seen teams that turn us over … Nobody takes (Wagler’s) ball. He’s very good at making the right decisions and that’s something I, as a head coach, really believe in.”
*David Mirković (B+): One of the biggest advantages the Illini had over the Hawkeyes coming into this matchup was rebounding, both offensively and defensively. While the rebounding margin was closer than expected by the end of 40 minutes, freshman forward David Mirković wasn’t to blame for that. Mirković led Illinois with 12 total rebounds, three offensive and nine defensive. Even though Mirković wasn’t the best at defending the perimeter at times, his effort on the glass kept him on the floor.
In Illinois’ half-court offense, Mirković started the game as dialed in as he’s been since the first few games of the season. His strength and size were tough for the Hawkeyes to defend down low, and he was a willing distributor. Mirković ended the game with 7 points on 3 of 7 from the field and five assists. Similar to Stojaković, Mirković is also finding rhythm within Illinois’ offense, letting his scoring opportunities come to him instead of forcing too much.
*Tomislav Ivišić (C+): After junior center Tomislav Ivišić’s bounce-back game in Illinois’ win over Rutgers (9-8, 2-4), dominating against an undersized Iowa squad was the perfect opportunity for him to keep rolling. However, Ivišić was just average in the matchup. Other than his three turnovers, he didn’t make too many errors that hurt the Illini, but he wasn’t at his best either. The junior finished with 7 points, two rebounds and two blocks in only 20 minutes of play.
As the Illini only won the rebounding battle by seven against the Hawkeyes, they still need more from Ivišić on the glass. He is a smart defensive player who is excellent at contesting shots in drop coverage, as he recorded two blocks, but improving his rebounding will only give Illinois another leg-up on its opponents.
Zvonimir Ivišić (B): In only 15 minutes of playing time, junior center Zvonimir Ivišić made the most of his time on the court by playing efficiently. Ivišić scored 8 points on 3 of 5 shooting from the field, including 2 of 4 from 3-point range. He also grabbed two rebounds and notched one block. He showed off his shooting ability from beyond the arc in the perfect moment on Sunday, hitting back-to-back threes to help separate the Illini from the Hawkeyes midway through the second half.
Similar to his twin brother, Ivišić wasn’t a menace on the boards that he had the chance to be in the contest. Iowa shot plenty of threes, which meant a lot of long rebounds for Illinois to track down. Usually, the Illini guards clean those up because they block out near the perimeter, but that doesn’t mean that Ivišić can’t go track those down as well. It would’ve helped Illinois separate itself further on the boards from the Hawkeyes.
Ben Humrichous (C+): While graduate student forward Ben Humrichous didn’t score against the Hawkeyes, his defensive effort was much needed to close out the game on Sunday. Humrichous grabbed four rebounds and got one block in 13 minutes of play. Near the end of the game, Humrichous was a trusted presence on the defensive end. He was in the right places to contest Iowa’s 3-point opportunities and also track down long rebounds. Humrichous might not have played his best offensive game, but he was still a dependable veteran in the end.
Jake Davis (C-): Junior forward Jake Davis made strides over the last couple of games for the Illini in terms of his shot-making and ability to be a reliable defender. However, he was missing in action against Iowa. In 12 minutes, Davis only recorded one steal and didn’t attempt a single field goal. Recently, Davis was playing like a possible X-factor for the Illini heading into Big Ten play, but he will need to find some consistency before solidifying that role.
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