No. 17 Illinois Dominates Jackson State with Blistering 113-55 Win
The Fighting Illini got their highly anticipated season off to a resounding start, thrashing Jackson State 113-55 behind an explosive performance from their international freshmen, David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic.
Mirkovic, the towering 6-foot-9 forward from Montenegro, was unstoppable, netting 19 points and snagging 14 rebounds in just one game. His countryman, Ivisic, chipped in with 21 points, while Keaton Wagler added 18 and Jake Davis contributed 13. The Illini's bench also got in on the action, with Ben Humrichous notching a team-high 21 points.
The Tigers' offense was stifled, shooting just 30.6% from the field, including a dismal 5-for-32 from three-point range. Devin Ree scored 19 points for Jackson State, but it wasn't enough to stem the tide of Illinois's suffocating defense.
One key statistic stood out: the Illini's 17 three-pointers, which gave them an insurmountable lead early on. In fact, a 17-point run midway through the first half left the Tigers reeling at 60-27 at halftime.
Despite being shorthanded due to injuries, Illinois still managed to outrebound Jackson State 61-19, capping off a convincing victory that will leave them feeling confident heading into their next game against Florida Gulf Coast on Friday night. The Tigers, meanwhile, have a tough stretch ahead of them, with nine road games in their first 10 contests, including matchups against NCAA Tournament teams and preseason Top 25 foes.
The Fighting Illini got their highly anticipated season off to a resounding start, thrashing Jackson State 113-55 behind an explosive performance from their international freshmen, David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic.
Mirkovic, the towering 6-foot-9 forward from Montenegro, was unstoppable, netting 19 points and snagging 14 rebounds in just one game. His countryman, Ivisic, chipped in with 21 points, while Keaton Wagler added 18 and Jake Davis contributed 13. The Illini's bench also got in on the action, with Ben Humrichous notching a team-high 21 points.
The Tigers' offense was stifled, shooting just 30.6% from the field, including a dismal 5-for-32 from three-point range. Devin Ree scored 19 points for Jackson State, but it wasn't enough to stem the tide of Illinois's suffocating defense.
One key statistic stood out: the Illini's 17 three-pointers, which gave them an insurmountable lead early on. In fact, a 17-point run midway through the first half left the Tigers reeling at 60-27 at halftime.
Despite being shorthanded due to injuries, Illinois still managed to outrebound Jackson State 61-19, capping off a convincing victory that will leave them feeling confident heading into their next game against Florida Gulf Coast on Friday night. The Tigers, meanwhile, have a tough stretch ahead of them, with nine road games in their first 10 contests, including matchups against NCAA Tournament teams and preseason Top 25 foes.
19 points & 14 rebounds in one game? that's insane! 
i'm still trying to process how much the 17 three-pointers from illinois really turned the game around 
anyone else notice how tough it was for jackson state to score against their defense? 30.6% from field is no joke 
ben humrichous's 21 points off the bench was clutch tho 
113-55 is no joke they got that lead early and never looked back 
and ben humrichous notching 21 points off the bench is insane lol what's going on with jackson state tho? they just got destroyed 
17 three-pointers from illinois was a game changer 
i'm hyped for friday night though can't wait to see how illinois takes on fl gulf coast
David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic are absolute studs - their Montenegrin roots must be giving them some serious athletic genes 
the Illinois team is straight fire right now! That Blistering 113-55 win over Jackson State was insane 
I mean, David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic are basically unstoppable, especially with their Montenegro roots bringing the heat 
. Now I'm hyped for their next game against Florida Gulf Coast 
. Illinois is takin' it one game at a time, and with that 3PT record, I think they'll be just fine...
they gotta bounce back from games like this. and florida gulf coast? big game, right? 
but seriously, cant we just chill a lil bit? 17 three pointers is wild tho 
ben humrichous with 21 points on the bench? sounds like they had him out there more than anyone else lol. and dude, 30.6% from the field? what were they even trying? 
. but seriously, 113-55 is a pretty big margin... hope they can keep it up against florida gulf coast on friday 
. It's wild how one game can showcase the massive differences between college basketball programs. The Illini were on fire, but it's also concerning that their opponents got thrashed so badly - 55 points is a huge margin of defeat 
. Maybe they can use this as an opportunity to learn and grow? 
david mirkovic is on fire 
and can we talk about Keaton Wagler's game? 18 points isn't bad at all for a bench player 
this win is gonna set them up so well for the rest of the season I'm already hyped for their next game against Florida Gulf Coast 
i mean, david mirkovic and tomislav ivic are literally unstoppable!!! 
! The Illini's defense is clearly the strong side of their game right now, holding Jackson State to just 30.6% shooting from the field 
. And that three-point line? Forget about it, 17 shots made and they're up by 20+ points 
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