Illinois beats No. 20 Wisconsin 86-80, marking their ninth consecutive victory in this intense rivalry. Kasparas Jakucionis showcased his talent by scoring a career-high 24 points, while Tre White contributed significantly with 23 points and eight rebounds. Kylan Boswell also played a key role, adding 19 points and six assists to secure the win for Illinois on Tuesday night.
For Wisconsin, Nolan Winter led the way with 15 points and seven rebounds. John Tonje followed closely with 14 points, while Max Klesmit and John Blackwell chipped in with 13 and 10 points, respectively. This defeat marked Wisconsin’s third straight loss after a strong start to the season with eight consecutive wins.
The Illini entered halftime with a narrow 39-35 lead. They faced a brief setback, falling behind 47-46 with 16:32 remaining in the second half, but quickly regained control with a crucial 3-pointer from Boswell, never looking back.
This victory also marked the 150th win for head coach Brad Underwood in his eighth season at Illinois, bringing his record to 150-90.
Takeaways
Illinois: The Illini demonstrated their confidence in shooting from beyond the arc, attempting 33 three-pointers and making 10 of them. This aggressive approach didn’t seem to faze Wisconsin.
Wisconsin: Despite having two of the Big Ten’s top free throw shooters in Klesmit and Tonje, neither player made it to the line in the first half. Their free throw attempts were limited in the second half as well, with Klesmit finishing 3-of-6 and Tonje 2-of-2.
Key moment
A pivotal moment came when Jakucionis executed a four-point play with 6:08 left in the game, extending Illinois’ lead to 70-60. From that point on, Wisconsin was unable to close the gap to fewer than four points.
Key stat
Following an overtime loss to Northwestern, Underwood challenged his team to improve their performance on the offensive boards. The Illini responded impressively, grabbing 15 offensive rebounds and out-rebounding the Badgers 40-29 overall. Tomislav Ivisic stood out with a game-high 11 rebounds for Illinois.
Up next
Looking ahead, Illinois will face No. 1 Tennessee in an exciting matchup on Saturday, while Butler will visit Wisconsin on the same day.
