Illinois snaps losing streak, throttles Oregon on Senior Night

· Yahoo Sports

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Back in the win column.

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After suffering back-to-back losses twice in the month of February, Illinois looks to have gotten back on track with a 80-54 win over Oregon on Tuesday night at the State Farm Center. With the win, the Illini move closer to securing a top four finish in the Big Ten standings and a triple-bye in next week’s Big Ten Tournament.

Illinois honored three players ahead of their final career home game. Kylan Boswell, Ben Humrichous, and AJ Redd were able to conclude their careers in the State Farm Center with a massive win.

Boswell had a relatively quiet night by his standards, finishing with just three points on 1-for-6 from the field. Humrichous did what he does best and knocked down two triples. Redd entered the game to thunderous applause and the arena erupted when the walk-on from Chicago splashed a three and finished a tough layup in the final minute of the game.

Despite the Senior Night festivities, it was junior Andrej Stojakovic that led the way for the Illini against the Ducks. After being shut out of the scoring column against Michigan last Friday, Stojakovic made it known that he would be an aggressor tonight.

He relentlessly attacked the rim on offense and turned in the best rebounding performance (12 rebounds) of his career. Stojakovic finished the night with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 assists. He shot an efficient 7-for-9 from inside the arc and made all seven of his free throws.

Illinois’ star freshmen did their part offensively as well. Keaton Wagler’s 11 points, three rebounds, and four assists in the first half set the tone for the Illini, while David Mirkovic’s 19 points on 8-for-15 shooting kept Illinois going steady throughout.

Oregon struck first on Illinois’ Senior Night, getting out to an early 9-3 lead. Unfortunately for Oregon, that lead was very short-lived. Illinois quickly scored 21 unanswered and held the Ducks scoreless for more than six minutes. Oregon failed to convert on 12 straight field goal attempts during Illinois’ run.

That run was reminiscent of the 20-0 run Illinois went on against UCLA 10 days ago. Except this time around against a West Coast foe, Illinois remained in control after the dominant run. The extended 38-12 run in the final 15 minutes of the first half gave Illinois major breathing room heading into the locker room as they led 41-21.

Despite an ugly first half showing, Oregon didn’t back down to begin the second half. The Ducks cut a 22-point Illini lead to just 13 points with 13 minutes to play. Senior center Nate Bittle carried the load offensively, finishing the game with 15 points and 5 rebounds.

Another extended Oregon shooting slump of 9 straight missed shots gave Illinois a major cushion as the clock wound down. The Ducks shot an abysmal 32.8% from the field and 17.2% from beyond the arc. Illinois had an uncharacteristically poor second half shooting the ball, making just three of its 21 threes.

Stat Stuffers

  • Andrej Stojakovic (ILL) — 21 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists
  • Keaton Wagler (ILL) — 11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists
  • David Mirkovic (ILL) — 19 points, 7 rebounds
  • Nate Bittle (ORE) — 15 points, 5 rebounds

Moments that Mattered

Senior Night for Kylan, Ben, and AJ.

You should not be able to pass like this if you’re 7’1.

Tough finish from Stojakovic.

Looking Ahead

Illinois concludes its regular season with a trip to College Park, Maryland this Sunday. The Fighting Illini take on the Terrapins at 2 p.m. on FOX. It’s off to Chicago for the Big Ten Tournament after the brief East Coast trip.

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