NEW YORK, Ill. (Chambana Today) — No. 13 Illinois struggled to find offensive rhythm against one of the nation’s top defenses Friday, falling 74–61 to No. 5 UConn at Madison Square Garden. The loss drops the Illini to 6–2 as they conclude a demanding stretch of four games in 10 days.
Senior guard Kylan Boswell delivered a standout performance, scoring a game-high 25 points on 8-of-16 shooting while adding nine rebounds and three assists. It marked his fourth 20-point outing of the season and the seventh of his Illinois career. Boswell played a season-high 39 minutes and hit all seven of his free throws, though he went 2-for-8 from three-point range.
Junior center Tomislav Ivisic recorded his first double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds, his 14th career game with double-digit boards. Freshman forward David Mirkovic added eight points, eight rebounds, and two assists, though the Huskies limited him under 10 points for the first time in his young career.
UConn’s length and physicality bothered Illinois throughout the afternoon, with the Huskies blocking multiple shots and controlling key stretches defensively. Junior center Zvonimir Ivisic led all players with five blocks while adding four points and four rebounds.
Illinois’ top scorer entering the game, Andrej Stojakovic, was held to just three points on 1-for-7 shooting as UConn consistently disrupted the Illini’s offensive flow. Sophomore guard Mihailo Petrovic gave Illinois a spark off the bench with a career-high 17 minutes and two assists.
The Illini will look to regroup as they continue a tough nonconference slate that includes a matchup with No. 17 Tennessee on Dec. 6 in Nashville.
