Illinois falls short to Rutgers with a 82-73 loss on the road

The No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini were unable to hold off a surging Rutgers team, falling 82-73 on the road Tuesday night. Rutgers, who entered the game with little momentum after a recent loss to Michigan, saw the return of star player Dylan Harper, who exploded for 28 points, six rebounds, and five assists to lead the Scarlet Knights to victory.

By Elizabeth Hess February 6, 2025 8:35 am

Illinois men's basketball coach Brad Underwood talks about the improvements within the team. — Chambana TodayCanvaProIllinois fell to Rutgers on the road; it's the team's third road loss in a row.

CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – The No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini showed resilience on the road, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Rutgers, falling 82-73 in a hard-fought battle. Illinois trailed by as many as 17 points early in the game, with Rutgers leading 23-6 at the 9:43 mark of the first half. However, the Illini mounted a comeback, regaining the lead at 48-47 with 13:06 left in the second half. Illinois briefly led again at 62-60 with 7:54 remaining, but Rutgers responded with a 7-0 run to secure the win.

Despite the loss, Illinois received strong individual performances. Will Riley scored 18 points while adding six assists and three rebounds. He has now scored in double figures for the third consecutive game and tied his career high in assists. Ben Humrichous contributed 14 points, including three 3-pointers, and five rebounds. Humrichous has made a 3-pointer in 22 of 24 games this season.

Morez Johnson Jr. added 11 points and five rebounds, marking his second consecutive double-figure performance. Tomislav Ivisic recorded nine points, seven rebounds, and three blocks, tying his career high in blocks. Kylan Boswell posted six points and a team-high 10 rebounds, marking his second double-digit rebound game of the season.

Illinois outscored Rutgers’ bench 34-11, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Scarlet Knights’ balanced attack. The loss drops Illinois to 15-8 overall and 7-6 in Big Ten play, and they will look to bounce back against Minnesota on the road Saturday.