NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 14 Illinois used a balanced attack to deal the knockout blow in a 75-62 victory over No. 13 Tennessee in a physical, back-and-forth Music City Madness bout Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena.
Illinois (7-2) was led by four players in double-figures scoring, including 16 each from junior C Tomislav Ivisic and freshman G Keaton Wagler. Senior G Kylan Boswell (15 points) and freshman F David Mirkovic (10) also hit double-digits as the Illini outshot Tennessee (7-3) 48% to 37% in the contest.
The win, Illinois' 29th top-25 victory of the Brad Underwood era and its 20th in a ranked-vs.-ranked matchup since 2019-20, snapped a five-game skid for the Orange and Blue in neutral-site games vs. ranked opponents. It also marked the Illini's first win away from State Farm Center this season, and moved Illinois to 2-2 on the year against Top-25 opponents.
The Orange and Blue led by as many as six points in the first half, but were held to just one field goal over the final three minutes as the Volunteers went to the locker room clinging to a 34-32 lead. Out of the break, however, The Illini went on a 10-3 run, capped by a pair of Wagler 3-pointers, to regain the lead, 42-37 with 16 minutes to play. The Volunteers briefly regained a 49-48 lead at the 11:03 mark in the second, before Illinois answered with a 15-3 run to push the lead to double-digits for the first time at 63-52 with just under 7 minutes remaining.
Tennesse cut the Illinois lead to six points twice over the next few minutes, but Zvonimir Ivisic answered each time with 3-pointers on back-to-back Illini possessions to push the Illini advantage back to nine points. The triples from Zvonimir Ivisic jump-started a 12-5 run that allowed the Illini to close out the ranked win.
The 62 points surrendered by the Illini marked the team's fewest points allowed in a top-25 win vs. a nonconference opponent since a 75-59 victory over #25 Missouri on Dec. 23, 2008.
Illinois has a quick turnaround with its Big Ten opener set for Tuesday night at Ohio State. Tipoff between Fighting Illini and the Buckeyes is set for 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT, with the matchup streamed live on Peacock.
HIGHLIGHTS
POSTGAME NOTES
Team Notes
- Starters: Kylan Boswell, Keaton Wagler, Andrej Stojakovic, David Mirkovic, and Tomislav Ivisic
- Illinois recorded its 29th victory over a top 25 opponent since 2019-20, tied for ninth-most nationally during that span with Gonzaga.
- Illinois improved to 2-2 on the season in four nonconference matchups vs. top-25 opponents.
- W, 81-77 vs. #11 Texas Tech (Nov. 11 at State Farm Center)
- L, 90-86 vs. #11 Alabama (Nov. 19 at United Center)
- L, 74-61 vs. #5 UConn (Nov. 28 at Madison Square Garden)
- W, 75-62 vs. #13 Tennessee (Dec. 6 at Bridgestone Arena)
- Illinois recorded its first victory of the season away from State Farm Center.
- The Illini are 6-0 at home and 1-2 in three neutral-site matchups vs. top 25 opponents
- Illinois snapped a five-game losing streak in neutral-site matchups vs. top-25 opponents.
- First win vs. a ranked opponent on a neutral floor since a 90-77 victory over #19 Arkansas on Nov. 28, 2024 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.
- Illinois' first ranked-vs.-ranked victory since the #10 Illini defeated #4-ranked Iowa State, 72-69, at TD Garden in Boston to advance to the 2024 NCAA Elite Eight.
- The 62 points allowed to the Volunteers marked:
- Illinois' fewest points surrendered to a top-25 opponent since a 66-62 victory over #21 Northwestern on Feb. 23, 2023
- Illinois' fewest points allowed in a top-25 win vs. a nonconference opponent since a 75-59 victory over #25 Missouri on Dec. 23, 2008.
Player Notes
- Tomislav Ivisic scored 16 points (7-13 FGs, 2 3FGs) with five rebounds, three assist, one block and one steal.
- Fourth game of the season, 26th career, with double-figures scoring.
- Has posted 10+ points in three straight games.
- Sixth-career game as the team's leading scorer, tied for the most by an active Illini with Kylan Boswell.
- Third game of the season, 17th career, with multiple three-pointers.
- Keaton Wagler tallied 16 points, 11 in the second half, including four 3-pointers to go with a game-high totals of eight rebounds and five assists.
- Sixth career game with 10+ points and his first in three games since post 19 vs. Long Island (11/22/25).
- First game of his career as the Illini's top scorer.
- 5 assists marked a career high, eclipsing the four he posted in his debut vs. Jackson State (11/3/25).
- Tied his career high with eight rebounds, matching his total from Illinois' Nov. 24 victory over UTRGV.
- Third game of the season as the Illini's top rebounder
- Has posted 5+ rebounds in six of his first nine games.
- 10+ points and 5+ rebounds in his fifth game of the season and the first since doing so in each of his four contests.
- Knocked down a career high four 3-pointers
- Fourth-career game with multiple triples.
- Has hit at least one 3-pionter in eight of his first nine games, including six straight.
- Kylan Boswell tallied 15 points on 6-11 from the field while adding two rebounds and three assists.
- Posted double-figures scoring for the eighth time in nine games this season, and the 32nd time in 44 career games as an Illini.
- David Mirkovic posted 10 points and six rebounds (five offensive) with two assist and a block.
- Reached double-figures scoring for the eighth time in his first nine college games.
- Back-to-back games with 4+ offensive rebounds
- Tied with Keaton Wagler for the team lead with three games with at least four offensive boards this season
- Fourth game of the season with multiple three-pointers
- Knocked down first 3-pointers in four games since knocking down two triples vs. #11 Alabama (Nov. 19 at United Center).
- Ben Humrichous limited to two points, but posted five rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
- Tied his career high with three blocks, his most since Nov. 23, 2024 vs. UMES.
- Recorded at least five rebounds for the seventh time in nine games this season.
