Chambana Sun

The University of Illinois men's basketball team, ranked No. 17, secured a decisive 92-65 exhibition win over Illinois State on Sunday at State Farm Center. The game was played in front of a crowd of 15,180.

Freshman David Mirkovic led the Illini with a double-double, scoring 19 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. He also tied for the game-high with six assists in his first unofficial appearance for Illinois. Another freshman, Brandon Lee, contributed 17 points with a perfect shooting record from the field and a strong showing at the free-throw line. Junior Zvonimir Ivisic added 15 points and five rebounds, while senior Kylan Boswell scored 14 points, collected three rebounds, and matched Mirkovic's six assists.

Illinois took control of the game midway through the first half with a 34-10 run that started at the 14:49 mark. This surge turned a tied score of 9-9 into a lead of more than 20 points. The run ended with two consecutive three-pointers by Boswell and a free throw by Lee, putting Illinois ahead 43-19 with just under two minutes left in the first half.

The Illini maintained their lead throughout the second half, never allowing Illinois State to get closer than 20 points. Neither team managed a scoring run longer than six points after halftime.

Illinois finished the game shooting 52% from the field and 39% from three-point range. Defensively, they held Illinois State to 40% shooting overall and just 28% from beyond the arc. The Illini also out-rebounded their opponent by a margin of 44-29.

Illinois is scheduled to begin its regular season at home against Jackson State on Monday, November 3.