CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – Illinois basketball coach Brad Underwood reached a coaching milestone on Monday night as Illinois routed Little Rock 92-34 at the State Farm Center. The victory marked Underwood’s 148th win at Illinois, tying him for fifth on the program’s all-time coaching wins list.

The win also matched the lowest opponent point total in State Farm Center history. Little Rock’s 34 points tied records set against Savannah State (2006) and Wisconsin-Green Bay (1985). The 58-point margin of victory was Illinois’ largest since a December 2021 win over St. Francis and handed Little Rock its largest defeat in Division I history, surpassing a 53-point loss to Oklahoma in 1990.

Dominating Defense and Rebounding
Illinois’ stifling defense was on display, holding Little Rock to just 19 first-half points and a single field goal in the final 12:29 of the half. The Illini also outrebounded the Trojans 56-26, marking their sixth consecutive game winning the battle on the boards. Of Illinois’ 56 rebounds, 19 were on the offensive glass, generating 23 second-chance points.

Offensive Highlights
Freshman guard Kasparas Jakucionis led the charge with a career-high 21 points, including 13 in the first half. Jakucionis also added six rebounds, five assists, and three steals, becoming the ninth freshman in the Underwood era to score 20+ points in a game. Sophomore center Tomislav Ivisic recorded his third double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds, tying for the Big Ten lead in double-doubles. Junior guard Tre White also had a standout performance with a season-high 16 points and eight rebounds. Freshman guard Will Riley continued his consistent shooting, scoring 13 points and sinking multiple three-pointers for the fifth time in six games. Freshman forward Morez Johnson Jr. contributed eight points and 11 rebounds, securing double-digit boards for the second straight game.

Underwood praised his squad’s balanced play: “Our defense, rebounding, and unselfish ball movement really set the tone tonight.”

The men travel to play the Arkansas Razorbacks on Thursday at 3.