Brad Underwood Richmond Family Endowed Men’s Head Basketball Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Brad Underwood Richmond Family Endowed Men’s Head Basketball Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Illinois began its 2025-26 men’s basketball season with a decisive 113-55 win over Jackson State at State Farm Center on Monday night. The Illini, ranked No. 17 nationally, dominated both ends of the court, out-rebounding the Tigers 61-19 and making 17 three-pointers.
Tomislav Ivisic and Ben Humrichous led Illinois in scoring with 21 points each. Humrichous matched his career-high at Illinois by hitting five threes and collecting five rebounds. Ivisic shot 9-for-12 from the field and added four rebounds.
Freshman David Mirkovic made an immediate impact in his collegiate debut, recording a double-double before halftime. He finished with 19 points, 14 rebounds, and four assists, becoming the first Illini freshman to achieve a double-double in a season opener since Kofi Cockburn in 2019.
Keaton Wagler also impressed in his first college game, scoring 18 points along with six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Senior Kylan Boswell contributed 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists while Jake Davis added 13 points on three three-pointers.
Redshirt freshman Jason Jakstys scored his first collegiate basket on a dunk assisted by Davis and grabbed nine rebounds in just twelve minutes of play. Freshman Blake Fagbemi also recorded his first career points.
Illinois started strong offensively, opening the game with a 24-3 run that included five three-pointers from four different players. By halftime, Illinois led Jackson State by 33 points.
The Illini continued to extend their lead throughout the second half with several scoring runs. They closed the game on an 11-2 run while holding Jackson State without a field goal for the final four minutes and forty seconds.
Head coach Brad Underwood remains undefeated in season openers at Illinois with a record of nine wins and no losses. The program has now won ten consecutive season openers dating back to 2016 and holds an all-time record of 107-14 (.884) in such games.
The team’s performance set several marks: the +42 rebounding margin ties for second-best under Underwood; their total of 61 rebounds is the highest during his tenure; and their margin of victory matches their largest since November last year.
Illinois will continue its four-game homestand on Friday against Florida Gulf Coast at State Farm Center.
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