Illinois Prepares for Nebraska Rematch Without Kylan Boswell
When Illinois and Nebraska meet for the second time this season on February 1, the Illini will be without one of their most important pieces. Star guard Kylan Boswell, the team’s second-leading scorer, is sidelined with a broken hand - an injury that’s expected to keep him out for at least a month.
The timing couldn’t be tougher. Nebraska already came into Champaign and stole a win earlier this season, and now Illinois will have to walk into Lincoln without one of its key leaders on both ends of the floor. There’s no sugarcoating it - this is a gut punch for Brad Underwood’s squad.
Underwood didn’t hide his emotions after the injury, which happened during Illinois’ win over Maryland. Speaking in the postgame press conference, he described the moment Boswell went down as one that made him feel physically sick - not just as a coach, but as someone who’s watched Boswell grow and thrive in the program.
“You’re just sick,” Underwood said. “I get a knot in my stomach for Kylan…”
It’s not just the injury itself, but the history behind it. This is the same hand Boswell broke five years ago - a cruel twist of fate that makes the moment sting even more.
Underwood called it a “freak deal,” explaining that Boswell collided with another player’s arm during the game. Just one of those unlucky basketball moments that can change the course of a season.
“Unfortunate. Feel terrible for Kylan as he's obviously a senior, and he's having such a phenomenal year,” Underwood said.
“It's the 'next man up' mentality with our team. It's exciting that we've been able to develop the depth.
We'll see what that looks like as we move forward."
That next-man-up mentality got an early test - and a promising answer - in the very game Boswell exited. Freshman Andrej Stojakovic stepped up in a big way, dropping a season-high 30 points in Illinois’ 89-70 win over Maryland. It was a breakout performance that couldn’t have come at a better time, and it gives the Illini some hope as they navigate life without Boswell in the short term.
Of course, Illinois isn’t the only team dealing with injury concerns ahead of the February 1 showdown. Nebraska has questions of its own after Braden Frager went down with a sprained ankle in their recent win over Washington.
Head coach Fred Hoiberg labeled Frager “day to day” on Thursday. Whether he’ll be ready to go against Illinois is still up in the air.
So both teams are walking into this rematch with some uncertainty. But for Illinois, the absence of Boswell is more than just a lineup change - it’s a leadership void, a scoring gap, and a challenge that could define the next stretch of their season.
The road to March is never smooth, and for the Illini, this is one of those moments where depth, resilience, and player development take center stage. The next few weeks will show just how ready they are to meet it.