PHILADELPHIA, Ill. (Chambana Today) — No. 20 Illinois leaned on balance, toughness and control of the glass to secure a 73-65 Big Ten road victory over Penn State on Saturday night at the historic Palestra.
Kylan Boswell led all scorers with 18 points, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers and going a perfect 6-for-6 at the free-throw line as Illinois improved to 11-3 overall and 2-1 in conference play. The Illini used timely shooting and consistent defense to pull away late and snap Penn State’s two-game home winning streak in the series.
Keaton Wagler added 16 points despite battling foul trouble that limited him to 20 minutes. He still made his presence felt, converting 7 of 8 free throws while adding three rebounds and three assists. David Mirkovic continued his strong stretch with his team-leading fifth double-double of the season, finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Illinois placed five players in double figures, with Andrej Stojakovic contributing 12 points and six rebounds, including three on the offensive end. Zvonimir Ivisic provided a spark off the bench, recording six points, 10 rebounds and a game-high five blocks in 23 minutes.
The Illini controlled the interior throughout the night, outrebounding Penn State 48-37 and limiting second-chance opportunities for the Nittany Lions. Illinois has now outrebounded 12 of its 14 opponents this season and is 10-2 in those games.
The win marked Illinois’ first road victory over Penn State since December 2020 and improved the Illini to 2-0 in Big Ten road games this season. Illinois is now 4-1 all-time at The Palestra and has totaled 36 Big Ten road wins since the 2019-20 season, the most in the conference during that span.
Penn State fell to 9-5 overall and 0-3 in league play.