LOS ANGELES, Calif. – No. 10 Illinois led by as many as 23 in the first half and battled through a back-and-forth second half to force overtime before falling, 95-94, on a buzzer-beater Saturday night at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion.
Five Illini scored in double-figures, paced by 19 from Keaton Wagler who broke Illinois' freshman season record for total points, while adding a game-high eight rebounds (six offensive) and a team-leading six assists.
Wagler entered the game with 490 points and pushed past the mark of 494 – set by Corey Bradford in 1998-99 and tied last year by Kasparas Jakucionis – with a layup at the 16:38 mark on the second half.
Wagler scored 16 of his 19 points in second half and overtime, including an offensive rebound and putback with just under five seconds left in the overtime period that gave the Illini a 94-93 lead. However, on the ensuing play, UCLA inbounded to Donovan Dent who raced up the floor, weaving through the Illini defense in 4.9 seconds to convert the game-winning layup as time expired.
Tomislav Ivisic recorded 16 points and six rebounds, and Ben Humrichous added 15 points on a career-best five 3-pointers. Kylan Boswell posted 13 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Zvonimir Ivisic recorded 11 points.
Illinois (22-6, 13-4 B1G) has now fallen in overtime in each of the team's last three losses to Big Ten foes over the last two weeks, and the Orange and Blue's four Big Ten losses have come by a combined nine points.
Four of Humrichous' five 3-pointers came in a 20-0 run by the Illini that pushed a 13-10 lead to a 33-10 Illini advantage just past the midway point of the first half. UCLA chipped away at the Illini's lead over the remainder of the period and closed the half on a 8-2 run to cut the Illini lead to 50-43 at the break.
Out of the break, the Illini lead once again reached double-figures before UCLA a 13-2 UCLA run knotted the game, 56-56 with 14:45 left in regulation. The rest of the second half included nine more ties, including Wagler's free-throws with 19 seconds left to send the game to overtime.
Next up, the Illini return home to a sold-out State Farm Center Friday to host #1 Michigan (25-2, 15-1 B1G). Tipoff between the Fighting Illini and the Wolverines is set for 7 p.m. CT. on FOX.
HIGHLIGHTS
PRESS CONFERENCE
POSTGAME NOTES
Player Notes
- Keaton Wagler scored 19 points with a game-high eight rebounds (six offensive), a team-leading six assists, two blocks and one steal.
- Team-leading 25th double-digit scoring effort of the season.
- 10+ points in 20 consecutive outings, averaging 20.1 ppg during that span.
- Double-figures scoring in all 17 Big Ten appearances (20.7 ppg).
- 509 points on the season breaks the Illinois freshman record of 494 points set by Cory Bradford in 1998-99 and matched last season by Kasparas Jakucionis.
- Team-most 11th game this season as the team's leading scorer
- 11th game of the season with 5+ assists.
- Six offensive rebounds are a career high.
- Tied his career high with two blocks.
- Tomislav Ivisic posted 16 points, six rebounds and two assists.
- Fifth consecutive game with 10+ points, and his 15th of the season
- 95 3-pointers over last two season, the most in the nation by a 7-footer.
- Kylan Boswell recorded 13 points, six rebounds (four offensive), and five assists.
- 38th game with 10+ points at Illinois, the most among active Illini, and his 14th this season.
- Hit two 3-pointers, eighth game of the season with multiple triples and his first since Jan. 3 at Penn State.
- Ben Humrichous tied a career high with five 3-pointers, finishing with 15 points and five rebounds.
- Eighth game of the season with 10+ points, fifth in his last eight contests.
- Third game of the season with 4+ 3-pointers
- Started 4-for-4 from beyond the arc.
- Zvonimir Ivisic recorded 11 points, three rebounds and two blocks off the bench.
- Eighth game of the season in double-figures scoring, first since Feb. 4 vs. Northwestern.
Team Notes
- Saturday's loss snaps a two-game winning streak for the Illini vs. UCLA and evens the series at 1-1 as Big Ten opponents.
- Illinois is 0-4 all-time when facing UCLA in Los Angeles.
- Illinois falls to 0-3 in overtime games this season, and 8-11 in the Brad Underwood era.
- Illinois' three overtime losses have all come in the last two weeks in Big Ten play.
- Illinois' four Big Ten losses have come by a combined nine points.
- Illinois falls to 22-6 on the season, and 13-4 in Big Ten play.
- Illinois is 9-4 away from home this season, and 7-2 in true road games all in Big Ten play.
- The Illini have won seven Big Ten road games for just the fourth time in program history, including three under Brad Underwood in 2021, 2022, and 2026.
- The #10 Illini are 674-273 (.712) all-time when ranked inside the AP Top 25.
- Illinois is 166-152 (.522) on the road when ranked.
- Under Brad Underwood, the Illini are now 111-49 (.694) when ranked.
- Illinois entered the game ranked first in the Big Ten with 11.2 3-pointers per game and knocked down 13 triples vs. UCLA.
- Illini have made 10+ 3-pointers in a Big Ten-leading 21 games this season with a 16-5 record.
- Illinois outrebounded UCLA, 43-24, but fall to 21-3 on the season when winning the rebounding battle.
