Illinois blows out Missouri 91-48 in Braggin' Rights rout

ST. LOUIS – #20 Illinois took Missouri out to the woodshed for an old fashion 91-48 whooping in the annual McBride Homes Braggin' Rights game at Enterprise Center in St. Louis on Monday night.

Photo: Fighting Illini Athletics

Andrei Stojakovic delivered 16 points and three boards in Illinois' win over the Tigers on Monday. Making double-digits for his third straight game, it was Stojakovic's seventh for the Fighting Illini. The junior tied his season-high with two 3-pointers.

What began as a measured rivalry matchup quickly turned into a one-sided showcase of depth, physicality and shooting as the Fighting Illini overwhelmed the Tigers in every facet. Illinois outscored Missouri 50-23 in the second half, turning a competitive early contest into the most lopsided result in the history of the series.

Illinois asserted itself on the glass and never let go. The Illini finished with a commanding 43-24 rebounding edge, including 15 offensive boards that fueled 29 second-chance points. Missouri managed just five second-chance points and struggled to find any rhythm inside, scoring only 18 points in the paint.

After four ties in the opening minutes, Illinois began to create separation midway through the first half. A five-point burst gave the Illini a 19-14 edge, and moments later an 11-2 run stretched the margin into double digits for the first time. Illinois knocked down three 3-pointers during that surge and carried a 32-20 lead before closing the half on a 9-3 run to take a 41-25 advantage into the locker room.

Freshman guard Keaton Wagler set the tone early and never cooled off. Wagler finished with a game-high 22 points, scoring 16 in the first half while shooting with confidence from the perimeter. He connected on a career-high five 3-pointers, grabbed eight rebounds, handed out four assists, blocked two shots and added two steals in a complete performance that reflected Illinois’ dominance.

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Photo: Fighting Illini Athletics

Illinois' Kylan Boswell dribbles around Mizzou's Jacob Crews. Boswell finished the game with six points and three rebounds.

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Any thought of a Missouri response vanished quickly after halftime. Illinois opened the second half with an 11-2 run, highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers from Tomislav Ivisic, forcing a Missouri timeout less than two minutes in. The Illini continued to apply pressure, holding the Tigers without a field goal for nearly six minutes during one stretch and steadily widening the gap.

Ivisic finished with 14 points, five rebounds and an assist, while Andrej Stojakovic added 16 points on efficient shooting. Zvonimir Ivisic provided a spark off the bench with a season-high 11 rebounds and three blocks, and Ben Humrichous chipped in nine points with three 3-pointers.

Shooting 52% from the field and controlling the tempo throughout, Illinois improved to 9-3 and extended its winning streak in the rivalry to three straight games. The Illini return home Dec. 29 to host Southern at State Farm Center in their final nonconference game.

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