Jakucionis, Ivisic Lead Illinois Past UCLA

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois never trailed and fended off a late UCLA rally to secure an 83-78 win over the Bruins at State Farm Center on Tuesday night.

Four Fighting Illini finished in double figures as the Orange and Blue snapped the Bruins' seven-game win streak to move to 17-8 overall and 9-6 in Big Ten play.

Kasparas Jakucionis led the way offensively with 24 points after going 6-for-9 with 17 points in the second half. With his team-leading 10th 20-point effort of the season, Jakucionis knocked down three 3-pointers, came down with eight rebounds, dished out four assists, and made one block.

Tomislav Ivisic connected on four 3-pointers, going 4-for-6 from deep, before finishing with 16 points. Scoring in double figures for the third straight game, Ivisic also posted seven rebounds, three assists, and a steal.

Kylan Boswell logged all of his scoring in the second half, recording 11 points while going 8-for-8 from the free throw line. He also corralled four rebounds and tallied two assists.

Will Riley added 10 points, three rebounds, two assists, and a block off the bench, while Morez Johnson Jr. amassed eight points, six rebounds, and a steal.

Ben Humrichous totaled nine points, three rebounds, two assists, a block, and a steal.

Holding the Bruins without a field goal for over five minutes to start the game, the Illini eventually opened up a 10-2 lead. That advantage soon grew to double digits following back-to-back fast-break buckets that came from steals on the defensive end of the floor.

After UCLA cut into its deficit by scoring the game's next four points, Illinois established a 19-8 edge behind five consecutive points from Jakucionis, including his first 3-pointer of the night. The visitors then used a 5-0 run to reduce the home side's lead back to single digits, but the Orange and Blue countered with a 9-0 scoring stretch to take a 28-13 advantage with just over five minutes left in the first half.

The Bruins closed the opening period on a 12-3 run, sending the sides into the break with Illinois still in front, 31-25. Four Illini scored at least five points across the first 20 minutes of play, with Jakucionis leading the way with a team-high seven first-half points.

UCLA trimmed its deficit down to three within the first five-and-a-half minutes of the second half, but an 11-4 run over the next two minutes helped Illinois retake a 10-point advantage with 12:23 remaining in the contest.

The Bruins continued to battle, bringing their deficit down to six within the next two minutes. The Orange and Blue then strung together a 12-3 run, including two 3-pointers from Ivisic, to post a 66-51 lead with 7:26 to go in the game.

Five consecutive points from Ben Humrichous extended the Illini's edge up to a game-high 16 points, but UCLA responded with a 13-0 run to cut their deficit down to a single possession, 76-73, with one minute to play. 

Jakucionis ended Illinois' four-minute scoreless drought with a stepback jumper as the shot clock expired with 38 seconds left to push the home side's advantage up to five. The Bruins remained hot with their 10th straight make from the field, but a dunk from Ivisic took the Orange and Blue's edge up to 80-76 with 18.3 seconds left.

UCLA cut its deficit in half once again, this time from the free throw line, before Humrichous was fouled with Illinois in the bonus. Despite the Illini making one of two free throws, Ivisic got the offensive rebound before Boswell sealed the win from the charity stripe.

Illinois is set for a rematch against No. 11 Michigan State in its next contest, which is slated for Saturday night at 7 p.m. CT at sold-out State Farm Center.

HIGHLIGHTS

PRESS CONFERENCE

POSTGAME NOTES

Player Notes:

• Kasparas Jakucionis scored 24 points to go along with eight rebounds and four assists.
  • Matched his career-high with 24 points, his 10th 20-point game of the season to extend his record for most such games by an Illinois freshman.  
    • Scored in double figures for the team-leading 18th time this season
      • Has 10+ points in back-to-back games and in five of the last seven.
  • Fifth game this season grabbing at least eight rebounds.
  • Has dished out at least four assists in 19 contests this season.
• Tomislav Ivisic scored 16 points and added seven rebounds and three assists.
  • Scored in double figures for the 15th time this season.
  • Has knocked down multiple 3-pointers in consecutive games for the third time this season.
    • Has at least one make from deep in seven-straight contests
    • Has made at least four 3-pointers in two games this season.
      • Has made at least three 3-pointers in four games this season and in two of the last three
• Will Riley came off the bench to score 10 points while tallying three rebounds and two assists.
  • Scored in double figures for the fifth-straight game and for the 15th time this season.
• Kylan Boswell scored 11 points and grabbed four rebounds.
  • Scored in double figures for the 16th time this season.
    • Recorded all 11 points in the second half.
• Ben Humrichous scored nine points and recorded three rebounds and two assists.
  • Went 2-for-5 from beyond the arc, his 13th game this season with multiple makes from deep.

Team Notes:

• Starting lineup: Kylan Boswell, Ben Humrichous, Tomislav Ivisic, Kasparas Jakucionis, Morez Johnson Jr. 
• Illinois outrebounded UCLA, 36-23.
  • The Illini have won the rebounding battle in 21 games this season.
  • Have posted a 10+ margin or better in 16 games this season.
    • The 23 rebounds recorded by the Bruins are the fewest allowed by the Illini in a Big Ten game this season. 
  • The Orange and Blue converted 10 offensive rebounds into 10 second-chance points.
  • Illinois grabbed more defensive rebounds (26) than UCLA had total. 
  • Held a 21-14 advantage at halftime. 
• Illinois scored 80+ points for the 17th time this season, the most in the Big Ten. 
  • The Illini are now 16-1 on the season when scoring at least 80 points.  
• The Illini went 18-for-20 (90%) at the free throw line.
  • Third time this season shooting 90% or better.
• Tuesday's attendance of 15,544 marked the Illini's ninth home sellout of the season (fourth consecutive) at State Farm Center. 
  • Illinois is averaging 14,994 fans per game, 96.5% capacity.