Illinois’ first real stress test of the season ended with a win that felt bigger than the calendar said it should. The Illini edged No. 11 Texas Tech 81-77 on Tuesday night at State Farm Center, a tight, back-and-forth battle that gave Illinois its first-ever victory in the series and pushed the team to 2-0.
The game opened as a showcase for sophomore guard Andrej Stojaković, who looked far more settled than he did in Illinois’ previous outing against Florida Gulf Coast. He came out firing, hit all five of his first-half shots and helped build a 13-point cushion by halftime.
When Texas Tech kept pressing late, Stojaković kept finding room in the lane and finished with 23 points on 11-for-16 shooting. His biggest play came in the final minute, when he delivered a decisive block to help close the door.
“You’ve got a couple guards that are physical and downhill, and then you’ve got guys who can shoot it and create some space,” said Illinois head coach Brad Underwood. “Andrej is a tremendous value, he was much better tonight.
The other night, he was a little sped up. I don’t think we played as fast tonight.”
Kylan Boswell was just as important in the finish. The veteran guard supplied 22 points and knocked down key free throws down the stretch, doing enough to edge him past the 1,000-point mark for his career on a night that kept swinging back and forth.
Illinois also had to manage the absence of forward Tomislav Ivišić, who was out with a knee injury. His twin brother Zvonimir helped cover the interior load, and so did Big Ten Freshman of the Week David Mirkovic. Zvonimir Ivišić posted 11 points, seven rebounds and three blocks, while Mirkovic added 11 points and four rebounds.
The atmosphere mattered, too. Orange Krush had plenty to do with the building feeling like a pressure cooker when the game tightened, and Illinois used that energy to finish off what was easily its most revealing win of the young season.
In Other News...
Illinois Just Watched Nebraska Completely Unravel Late
Nebraskas slide has now stretched to four straight losses, and the latest one came in a 24-13 defeat to Illinois that exposed problems in just about every phase. The Cornhuskers had trouble moving the ball, had breakdowns on defense and even gave Illinois an opening on special teams, where a fake field goal helped tilt the game further in the Illinis favor.
The frustration around the program is only growing because this was not a one-off lapse. Missed field goals and uneven execution have become part of the conversation, and the focus is starting to shift toward what changes might come next, including questions around the coaching staff and the special teams operation. For Illinois, it was the kind of composed finish that can make a midseason win feel bigger than the record itself. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Just Helped Trigger A Nebraska Shakeup Fans Will Notice
Illinois may not have been the only reason Nebraskas season has gone sideways, but the latest fallout came after the Cornhuskers loss to the Illini helped deepen a four-game skid and sharpen the focus on an offense that has struggled to find any rhythm. The result was a shakeup on the Nebraska staff, with offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen out after the teams recent slide.
Matt Rhule said co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas will take over play-calling duties for the rest of the season, a move that puts the offense in new hands as Nebraska tries to steady itself. Rhule also left the door open for more changes after the season, a sign this is not being treated as a one-off adjustment but as part of a broader evaluation of where the program stands. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois May Have Found Its Early Answer To A Looming Frontcourt Reset
Illinois has opened the season 2-0 and managed to look sharp even while dealing with injuries, but the bigger picture in Champaign is already coming into focus. The Illini know a frontcourt reset is on the horizon after the 2026-27 season, which makes the next wave of recruiting especially important for a program trying to stay ahead of the curve.
Jack Thelen is now part of that conversation, with the highly ranked 2027 center set for an official visit to Illinois. UConn and Wisconsin are also in the mix, so this is not a quiet early evaluation for the Illini, but it does give them a chance to make an impression on a prospect who could help shape the next era inside. [Read more 🡒]