Even a slow start didn’t stop No. 13 Illinois (15-3, 6-1) from extending its winning streak to seven games with a 77-67 victory over Minnesota (10-8, 3-4) on Saturday morning. The Illini’s starting five has carried the team as of recent, but it was some notable sparks off the bench that led them to another Big Ten win in this matchup. This is now Illinois’ longest winning streak since March 2024.
*Kylan Boswell (B): Although he played 30 minutes against Minnesota, senior guard Kylan Boswell was average across the stat sheet, but still managed to contribute to every category. Boswell scored 9 points on 2-for-6 shooting from the field, grabbed three rebounds and recorded three assists. In the second half, the Illini benefited from the Gophers’ undisciplined moments on the defensive end, shooting 13 free throws in the half. Boswell delivered from the charity stripe, going 4-for-5.
In terms of scoring production and standing out on the defensive end, Boswell had a quieter performance on Saturday morning and blended in more than usual. However, Boswell had moments where he applied defensive pressure both in the half and full court to Minnesota’s guards which disrupted its offense.
*Andrej Stojaković (B-): Similarly to Boswell, junior wing Andrej Stojaković didn’t play his best game of the season, but he wasn’t at his worst either. Throughout the morning, Stojaković never looked comfortable within the Illinois offense. Minnesota made it difficult for him to attack the paint with the same dominance he normally does, as it sent multiple defenders at him in its defensive gaps to stop the drive.
Still, Stojaković managed to score 7 points in 22 minutes along with two rebounds and three assists. The junior also hit a major milestone of his college career on Saturday morning as he recorded his 1,000th career point, knocking down a free throw with about seven minutes left in the game. The accomplishment is a testament to Stojaković’s talent as a scorer and how he has positively impacted the offense of each program he has been a part of. His teammates didn’t lack in the postgame celebration either.
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“There was a lot of really, really cold water dowsed on Andrej today inspired by one Tomislav Ivišic,” head coach Brad Underwood said. “My hats off to (Stojaković). That’s a great accomplishment.”
In the last minute and a half of the contest, Stojaković came off the floor limping and grabbing his ankle on the bench. He ended up sitting out the game’s final minute. The severity of the possible injury remains unknown, but it is something to keep an eye on as Illinois faces two tough Big Ten tests this upcoming week against Maryland and No. 5 Purdue.
*Keaton Wagler (A): In comparison to his game against Northwestern, where he came up huge for Illinois down the stretch with 20 second-half points, freshman guard Keaton Wagler played equally well in both halves on Saturday morning. In his 38 total minutes, Wagler scored 17 points on 5-for-12 shooting and recorded four rebounds and five assists. Wagler was also successful from beyond the 3-point line against the Gophers’ zone, hitting four triples in the matchup.
With another double-digit performance, Wagler is now on a 10-game streak of scoring in double-digits. His last game in single-digits was in Illinois’ tough loss to now No. 3 UConn in late November. Wagler’s impressive 3-point shooting capabilities are a large reason why he has been able to stay so consistent in scoring. When the freshman knocks down a few triples each game, combined with his crafty ability to get to the rim through traffic, he is bound to show up as a top scorer for the Illini each night. Putting Wagler in a point-guard role has also increased his production and, in turn, Illinois’ success as well.
“Since being moved to the ball, I think it’s let me get into my flow a lot better and just being able to do what I do best and make plays and reads off of ball screens,” Wagler said.
*David Mirković (B+): It was a tough first half for freshman forward David Mirković against the Gophers, as he had 0 points, didn’t record a single made field goal, and committed two turnovers. Mirković flipped the script coming out of halftime, though, and his second-half shooting played a pivotal role in helping Illinois eventually pull ahead of Minnesota. The freshman ended the game with 12 points, shooting 4-for-6 from the field, eight rebounds and two assists.
While it was a slow start for the freshman, as it was for a lot of the Illini, Mirković delivered when his team needed it most. Up to this point in the season, Mirković has struggled to stay focused in games when things are not going his way, but his performance on Saturday proved that he is improving in this area. His offensive rebounding also benefited the Illini against the Gophers’ zone, taking advantage when it was tougher for the Gophers to crash the glass. Even as he fought through the flu last week, Mirković played as locked in as ever, and it is truly becoming a difference maker for Illinois in its success.
*Tomislav Ivišić (B+): Junior center Tomislav Ivišić also didn’t score in the first half on Saturday, only attempting one 3-point field goal in his 13 minutes of play. That didn’t stop him from having a dominant second-half, though, from both the 3-point line and in the paint. Tomislav finished the matchup with 10 points on 4-for-9 shooting, including 2-for-4 from the 3-point line. Like Mirković, Tomislav’s shooting improvement coming out of halftime made all the difference in Illinois finally separating itself from Minnesota. In the second half, Tomislav also showed off a few more post moves than he has recently, using his size down low against the Gophers’ undersized lineup.
In the last two games, Tomislav has started to find more consistency in his rebounding, something Underwood noted he wanted to see more of from his starting center. Tomislav delivered there against Minnesota on both ends of the floor, grabbing seven total rebounds with four offensive and three defensive. Out-rebounding Minnesota’s undersized rotation was a big key for Illinois in this contest, and Tomislav did his part in making that happen.
Zvonimir Ivišić (A): Illinois’ victory over Minnesota wouldn’t have been possible without junior center Zvonimir Ivišic’s effort and energy coming off the bench. Less than two minutes into the game, Underwood called a timeout after a 6-0 start from the Gophers to get the Illini under control after the Gophers’ quick start. Although they evened the score, the Illini still couldn’t get into a rhythm on either end of the floor. That was until Zvonimir entered the game. Zvonimir made a positive impact right away on the defensive end, getting a block on one possession and then a steal on the next, leading to his own fast break dunk.
“(Zvonimir) always brings energy,” Wagler said. “Especially, even in the locker room, he’s always ready to play. I think that’s what it was. He came in ready to play and that’s what got him going,”
Zvonimir continued to dominate throughout the first half, leading the Illini with 13 first-half points along with six rebounds, two blocks and two steals. The junior benefited from Minnesota’s zone. His size and ability to step out and shoot the three were difficult for the Gophers to match up against, allowing Zvonimir to impact the game both near the rim and from long range. Even at 7-foot-2, Zvonimir has a little bit of a guard skillset, which he uses in the half court and the open floor, that gives Illinois’ offense a unique look that other teams don’t have.
On most other teams in the nation, a player like Zvonimir wouldn’t be the first man coming off the bench, but rather a consistent starter. While that isn’t the role he plays with the Illini, he is the X-factor that wreaks havoc for opposing teams. Against Minnesota, Zvonimir was a menace on the offensive glass, grabbing four in just 18 minutes on the court. This gave Illinois much-needed second-chance opportunities when it struggled shooting early. Whether it is his rim protection or unique offensive talents, Zvonimir plays his role for Illinois to a tee.
“(Zvonimir’s) a freak in a good way because of his ability to protect the rim and what he does defensively,” Underwood said. “Then, he just pops and makes open shots and does what he’s supposed to do.”
Ben Humrichous (D): Graduate student forward Ben Humrichous only played nine minutes in Saturday’s contest, and he struggled to make his mark on either end of the floor. Offensively, Humrichous had multiple 3-point opportunities that weren’t extremely contested, but he didn’t hit them, which contributed to Illinois’ first-half shooting struggles. Defensively, he didn’t grab a single rebound, an area where he usually excels if he isn’t shooting well. Humrichous ended the game with 0 points, but two assists.
Jake Davis (C-): Junior forward Jake Davis didn’t hit a single three in his 18 minutes on the floor, but still managed to grab two rebounds, one offensive and one defensive. Despite his two personal fouls, Davis stayed on the floor at the end of the first half alongside Wagler, the Ivišić twins and sophomore guard Mihailo Petrović, a group that hasn’t seen the court much or at all together. With the sparks of energy from Zvonimir and Petrović, this lineup kept the Illini afloat, and Davis was a part of that.
“I don’t think we practiced together either,” Zvonimir said. “You know, we were having a rough start … We got to fight, hustle and I feel like that group did that job pretty well in the end of the half.”
Mihailo Petrović (A-): Over the past month, Petrovic has continued to fall more and more out of the consistent Illinois rotation, even getting passed over while Underwood went to freshman guard Brandon Lee instead of him. However, Petrović has clearly stayed ready to go, and he got his chance to prove it on Saturday morning. With four minutes left in the first half, Petrović checked in and grabbed a defensive and offensive rebound right away, showing he can impact the game beyond scoring.
“We don’t win that game without Mihailo,” Underwood said. “He changed the whole outlook of the game at the end of the first half and I thought (it) was excellent … That young man spends all day in the gym. He shoots. He works. He’s been the ultimate teammate. We don’t win it today without him”
Petrović also finally played comfortably within Illinois’ half-court offense and didn’t speed himself up too much, which had led to costly turnovers in the past that sent him back to the bench. Instead, the Serbian guard was patient and composed. This bred only positives for Petrović when he got to see the ball go through the net on a right-handed driving layup, scoring with ease. He also hit a jumper from the free-throw line late in the half to tie up the game at halftime.
On the perimeter, Petrović’s play gave Illinois the spark it needed to stay in the game and not let it slip away early. The sophomore ended the game with 4 points, three rebounds and most importantly, zero turnovers. After this performance, Petrović might be seeing a few more minutes here and there if he continues to stay in the gym and keep improving.
@evy_york2
