Chambana Sun

Kylan Boswell and David Mirkovic each recorded double-doubles as the No. 17 Illinois men's basketball team secured a 113-70 win over Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) at State Farm Center on Friday night. The game was played before a sold-out crowd of 15,544, marking the first sellout of the season.

Illinois improved to 2-0 for the eighth consecutive season under head coach Brad Underwood. The team had four players scoring in double figures, led by Boswell's career-high 31 points and 10 rebounds. "Kylan Boswell finished with a team-high 31 points along with 10 rebounds and three assists. Posted his second-career double-double after notching a triple-double vs. Chicago State (12/29/24). Set a new career-high with 31 points. Logged the first 30-point showing and fifth game with 20+ points in his career. Recorded his 10th consecutive game in double-figures scoring and the 26th game with 10+ points of his Illini career. Hit four 3-pointers, his most as an Illini," according to postgame notes.

Mirkovic contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds, following up on his debut performance earlier in the week when he scored 19 points and collected 14 boards against Jackson State.

Keaton Wagler added a personal-best of 22 points and seven rebounds after recording strong numbers in the season opener as well. Zvonimir Ivisic started for Illinois for the first time, replacing his injured twin brother Tomislav Ivisic, and posted 16 points, nine rebounds, and seven blocks—matching the second-most blocks in a single game in program history.

The Illini shot 55% from the field overall and made eleven three-pointers during the contest. Boswell hit four shots from beyond the arc while Ivisic added three triples, including one that resulted in a four-point play during the first half.

Illinois dominated FGCU on rebounding, holding a decisive edge of 51-30 overall—including a substantial margin on defensive boards—and limited their opponents to just over thirty percent shooting from the field.

The home team began strongly with an early run that set them ahead by more than twenty points midway through the first half; they went into halftime leading by thirty-two. After extending their lead further early in the second half, Illinois relied on its bench to add twenty additional points after intermission.

Other notable performances included Andrej Stojakovic making his Illinois debut with nine points off the bench.

The win marks Illinois' fourth straight victory at State Farm Center overall and its third consecutive nonconference home win dating back to last season. The Illini have now surpassed one hundred points in two straight games for only the third time under Coach Underwood's tenure—a feat last accomplished in November of 2019.

Illinois will next face No.10 Texas Tech at home on Tuesday night; tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Central Time on FS1.