IOWA CITY, Iowa, Ill. (Chambana Today) — No. 16 Illinois continued its surge through Big Ten play Sunday night, knocking off No. 19 Iowa 75–69 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena to claim its fifth consecutive victory and another statement road win.
The triumph was historic on multiple fronts for the Fighting Illini (13–3, 4–1 Big Ten). Illinois earned its first-ever ranked-versus-ranked win in Iowa City and defeated a ranked Hawkeye team on its home floor for the first time since 2014. The victory also marked Illinois’ second straight win in Iowa City, something the program had not accomplished since 2010.
Keaton Wagler led the Illini with a game-high 19 points, pouring in 16 after halftime to spark the decisive stretch. Wagler connected on four 3-pointers and added five rebounds and four assists, recording his eighth straight double-figure scoring performance.
Kylan Boswell and Andrej Stojakovic each added 17 points as Illinois showcased its balance and perimeter shooting. Boswell filled the stat sheet with four rebounds, three assists and a season-high three steals, while Stojakovic grabbed five boards and two steals for his third consecutive double-digit game.
Illinois controlled the glass, outrebounding Iowa 38–31, and leaned on that physical edge throughout the night. David Mirkovic anchored the effort with a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with seven points and five assists, tying a career high in helpers.
The Illini knocked down 10 3-pointers, improving to 9–2 this season when reaching double digits from beyond the arc — the most such games by any Big Ten team this year. Zvonimir Ivisic provided a boost off the bench, scoring all eight of Illinois’ reserve points and drilling a pair of key second-half 3s.
Illinois’ defense and composure down the stretch proved decisive as the Illini closed out the win at the free-throw line and forced Iowa into difficult looks late.
With the victory, head coach Brad Underwood’s squad has now won 10 of its last 11 meetings with Iowa and improved to 3–0 on the road in Big Ten play for the first time since the 2021–22 season. The Illini will look to keep their momentum rolling as conference play continues later this week.
