ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Chambana Today) — The University of Illinois men’s basketball team delivered an impressive 91-48 victory over Missouri in the annual Braggin’ Rights game at Enterprise Center on Monday night. The win, which marked Illinois’ third consecutive triumph in the rivalry, was their largest margin of victory over the Tigers in series history.
Illinois, ranked #20 in the nation, used a powerful second-half surge to dominate Missouri, outscoring them 50-23 after leading 41-25 at the half. Freshman Keaton Wagler was the standout performer, scoring a game-high 22 points on an efficient 7-for-11 shooting, including a career-high five 3-pointers. He also grabbed eight rebounds, dished out four assists, and added two blocks and two steals.
Andrej Stojakovic, who has been on a hot streak lately, contributed 16 points on 5-for-8 shooting, including two 3-pointers, while Tomislav Ivisic added 14 points and five rebounds. Illinois also saw strong contributions from David Mirkovic, who finished with nine points, five rebounds, and five assists.
The Illini were dominant on both ends of the floor, shooting 52% from the field and knocking down 15 three-pointers. Their defense was equally impressive, as they held Missouri to just 28.6% shooting for the game and forced 10 turnovers. Illinois also out-rebounded the Tigers 43-24, including a season-high 15 offensive boards, which led to 29 second-chance points — their most this season.
The game was tight early, with neither team leading by more than three points for the first eight minutes. But Illinois found its rhythm midway through the first half, using an 11-2 run to extend its lead to double digits. Wagler, who scored 16 points in the first half, helped the Illini finish strong, as they closed the period with a 9-3 run to go into the break with a 16-point lead.
In the second half, Illinois wasted no time putting the game out of reach. After Missouri briefly cut the lead to 12, Illinois responded with a quick 7-2 run and continued to build on its advantage. The Illini’s defense smothered the Tigers, holding them to just one field goal in nearly six minutes during one stretch. By the time the final buzzer sounded, Illinois led by as many as 43 points, improving to 9-3 on the season.
With the win, Illinois extends its streak to three in the Braggin’ Rights series, its longest win streak since a five-game stretch from 2013-2017. The Illini will return to State Farm Center on December 29 to take on Southern in their final nonconference game of the season.
The Illini’s 43-point victory is the largest in series history, surpassing the previous margin of 40 points in 2004. It was also the fewest points allowed by Illinois in a Braggin’ Rights game since a 73-44 win over Syracuse in 2022.
