Zvonimir Ivisic’s 18-Point Surge Propels No. 13 Illinois Past Minnesota in Thrilling 77-67 Victory

It was one of those games where you could feel the intensity spark right from the tip-off — No. 13 Illinois flexing their muscle against Minnesota in a clash that almost had the crowd holding its breath . Zvonimir Ivisic came off the bench and didn’t just play; he dominated with 18 points and nine rebounds, while Keaton Wagler kept his hot streak alive, tossing in 17 points to help the Illini notch a 77-67 win on Saturday. The victory marked Illinois’ seventh straight, pushing them to an impressive 15-3 overall and 6-1 in Big Ten play — a start not seen since their 2011-12 campaign. This wasn’t just a win; it was a statement, especially considering the fierce resistance Minnesota put up, led by Jaylen Crocker-Johnson’s 22 points. The battle was tight, halftime at a knotted 34-34, but Illinois’ second-half surge sealed the deal, maintaining their home court dominance and extending a nine-game winning streak over the Gophers that’s been brewing since 2019. If you’re craving the full rundown of this thrilling college basketball showdown, take a deep dive here: LEARN MORE

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Zvonimir Ivisic scored 18 points and pulled down nine rebounds off the bench and Keaton Wagler had 17 points to lead No. 13 Illinois to a 77-67 victory over Minnesota on Saturday.

David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic each scored 10 points, all in the second half, for the Illini (15-3, 6-1 Big Ten), who won their seventh straight.

It was the 10th consecutive game that Wagler scored in double figures. He’s had at least 16 points in nine of those games.

Andrej Stojakovic scored seven points for Illinois, which gave him 1,000 for his career. He played at Stanford and California before joining the Illini this year.

Jaylen Crocker-Johnson scored 22 points and had eight rebounds for the Gophers (10-8, 3-4), who have lost three straight after a five-game winning streak.

Crocker-Johnson tallied Minnesota’s first 11 points, including triples on the Gophers’ first two possessions that caused Illinois coach Brad Underwood to call a timeout only 1:12 into the game.

Cade Tyson had 15 points and eight rebounds for Minnesota before the Big Ten’s second-leading scorer fouled out with 52 seconds left. Langston Reynolds had 11 points for the Gophers.

The teams were tied 34-34 at halftime, with Illinois shooting only 34% from the field. The Illini erased a 56-55 Minnesota lead midway through the second half with a 10-0 run and never trailed again.

Illinois is off to its best 18-game start since it also went 15-3 to begin the 2011-12 season.

The Illini have won nine in a row against Minnesota in a streak that began in 2019. Saturday’s game was the 200th meeting between the teams. The Illini lead the series 132-68, including 77-19 at home.

Up next

Minnesota: At Ohio State on Tuesday.

Illinois: Hosts Maryland on Wednesday.

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