Chambana Sun

In a decisive performance, the No. 24 Illinois Fighting Illini defeated Iowa 106-94 in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. This victory marks a new program record for points scored by Illinois in a conference tournament game.

Kylan Boswell led Illinois with a career-high 24 points, hitting 10 of his 14 field goal attempts and four out of seven from beyond the arc. He also contributed seven assists, three rebounds, and one steal. "Kylan Boswell paced the scoring with 24 points," highlighting his impact on the game.

Will Riley added to the offensive surge with 21 points and seven rebounds, marking his fifth game this season with at least 20 points. Tre White also made significant contributions with 22 points, while Tomislav Ivisic achieved a double-double with 19 points and ten rebounds. Kasparas Jakucionis rounded out Illinois' key performers by adding ten points.

The Illini started strong defensively, keeping Iowa scoreless for over two minutes and establishing an early lead through Ivisic's two three-pointers. The game saw several lead changes and ties before Illinois pulled ahead decisively in the second half.

A critical moment came when Illinois went on a run that extended their lead to double digits following back-to-back three-pointers from Boswell. With under two minutes left in the game, White's dunk pushed Illinois past the century mark.

Looking ahead, No. 24 Illinois will face No. 11 Maryland in the quarterfinals on Friday evening at Big Ten Network's scheduled time of 5:30 p.m CT.