Published on November 24, 2025 6:17 am
Last Updated on November 24, 2025 6:18 am
By UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The #8 Fighting Illini rolled past Long Island University, 98-58, on Saturday afternoon at State Farm Center, behind a 20-point effort from Andrej Stojakovic.
Stojakovic posted his second straight – and third overall – game with 20+ points to lead the Illini. The Orange and Blue also received double-digit points from Keaton Wagler (19), David Mirkovic (12), and Kylan Boswell (11).
As a team, the Illini shot a season-best 63.1% (41-65) from the field, while posting a 68-24 scoring edge in the paint against the Sharks. Illinois also forced a season-high 17 LIU turnovers, turning those miscues into a 28-14 scoring advantage.
LIU jumped out to a 4-0 lead, and the Sharks clinged to an 8-7 edge just four minutes into the contest when the Illini clamped down defensively to take control.
The Orange and Blue held LIU without a field goal for the next 5 minutes, and used a 19-2 run to build a 26-10 lead, and never looked back en route to the team’s third 40+-point victory of the year.
The Illini scored the final 16 points of the first half to build 54-19 halftime lead, then opened the second period on a 16-4 scoring run to push the advantage as high as 46 points, 70-24, with 14 minutes left in the contest.
The sharks cut into the deficit by 13 to pull within 33 points, 91-58, but the Illini scored the final six of the game before dribbling out the clock just shy of the team’s third 100-point scoring effort of the season.
The Illini outrebounded the Sharks, 40-22, the team’s sixth straight to open the season with a rebounding advantage, and turned their 13 offensive rebounds into 17 second-chance points.
Illinois has a quick turnaround before hosting UT Rio Grande Valley on Monday night. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.