CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Interstat) — Illinois routed Northwestern 84-44 in a Big Ten men’s basketball game Wednesday night at State Farm Center. The Fighting Illini, now 20-3, overwhelmed the Wildcats from the start, leading 47-19 at halftime before a crowd of 15,544. Illinois’s offense was efficient, shooting 48.3% from the field and connecting on 17 3-pointers. Andrej Stojakovic led five Illinois players in double figures with 17 points. Northwestern, which fell to 10-13, struggled offensively, shooting just 29.2% overall. The Wildcats were led by Tre Singleton’s eight points. Illinois swept the season series, having also won the previous meeting last month.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Interstat) — In a commanding display of offensive firepower and defensive dominance, the Illinois Fighting Illini overwhelmed the Northwestern Wildcats 84-44 in a Big Ten Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at a sold-out State Farm Center. The outcome was rarely in doubt as Illinois, improving to 20-3 overall, built a 28-point halftime lead and cruised to its 12th victory in its last 13 games. Northwestern, which had upset Penn State in its previous outing, fell to 10-13, suffering its most lopsided defeat of the season. The most decisive stretch of the game occurred midway through the first half, transforming a competitive contest into a runaway. With Illinois leading 11-8 at the 14:45 mark, the Fighting Illini unleashed a devastating 17-2 run over the next four and a half minutes. The surge was fueled by a barrage of three-pointers and stifling defense that left the Wildcats reeling. The run began with a three-pointer from Ben Humrichous, assisted by Andrej Stojakovic. After a Northwestern turnover, Stojakovic converted a steal into a fastbreak layup. Following a Wildcats timeout, Humrichous struck again from deep, pushing the lead to 16-8. After Northwestern’s Arrinten Page scored inside, Illinois answered with another three, this time from David Mirkovic. By the time the run concluded with a Stojakovic layup at the 8:19 mark, Illinois led 30-10, and the Wildcats never recovered. Illinois’s offensive efficiency was staggering. The Fighting Illini shot 48.3% from the field and a blistering 44.7% from three-point range, connecting on 17 of 38 attempts. They scored 84 points on just 66 possessions, an offensive rating of 128.0, while holding Northwestern to a frigid 29.2% shooting performance and an offensive rating of 70.0. The Wildcats managed only 4 of 25 from beyond the arc. The Illini’s balanced attack featured five players scoring in double figures, led by Andrej Stojakovic with 17 points. David Mirkovic and Zvonimir Ivisic each added 13 points, with Ivisic contributing two blocks. Ben Humrichous also scored 13, and Keaton Wagler filled the stat sheet with 13 points and five assists. The Ivisic brothers, Zvonimir and Tomislav, combined for 18 points, seven assists, and three blocks, controlling the paint and facilitating the offense from the high post. Northwestern, which scored only 19 points in the first half, was led by Tre Singleton’s eight points. Jayden Reid added seven points and four assists. The Wildcats were competitive in some hustle categories, outscoring Illinois 14-4 in fastbreak points and 10-2 in points off turnovers, but their profound shooting struggles rendered those advantages moot. Illinois dominated the glass with a 45-31 rebounding advantage, including 10 offensive rebounds that led to 11 second-chance points. Northwestern’s offense never found a rhythm, recording only seven assists against 11 turnovers. The victory extended Illinois’s winning streak over Northwestern to two games, following a 79-68 win in Evanston on Jan. 14. The Fighting Illini now turn their attention to a road test at Michigan State on Saturday. Northwestern will look to regroup when it travels to face Iowa on Sunday. The game drew an attendance of 15,544 to State Farm Center. Illinois entered the contest as a heavy favorite, with predictive metrics giving them a 95% probability of victory, and easily covered the pregame spread. The total score of 128 fell well under the over/under line of 151.5, largely due to Northwestern’s anemic offensive output.

Preview: Northwestern Wildcats at No. [Rank TBD] Illinois Fighting Illini CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Interstat) — The surging Illinois Fighting Illini, boasting one of the nation’s premier records, will host the struggling Northwestern Wildcats in a Big Ten Conference men’s basketball matchup Wednesday night at State Farm Center. Illinois (19-3, 8-1 Big Ten) enters on an eight-game winning streak, firmly positioned atop the conference standings. The Illini are led by star guard Keaton Wagler, who is playing at an All-American level. Over his last five games, Wagler is averaging 27.2 points and 5.2 assists, including a 46-point outburst in a win at Purdue on Jan. 24 and a 28-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist performance in Sunday’s 78-69 victory at Nebraska. Northwestern (10-12, 3-6) seeks to halt a two-game skid and salvage a split of the season series. The Wildcats fell 79-68 to Illinois in Evanston on Jan. 14. In that game, Wagler scored 22 points for the Illini, while Northwestern’s Arrinten Page had 7 points and 2 blocks. Page, a sophomore forward, will be a key for the Wildcats. He is coming off one of his best performances of the season in a 76-62 loss to Washington on Jan. 31, logging 16 points and 3 blocks in 26 minutes. His production has been inconsistent, however, with four single-digit scoring outings in his last eight games. Beyond Wagler, Illinois features a formidable frontcourt with brothers Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic, who combined for 19 points and 15 rebounds against Nebraska. The Illini lead the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging over 82 points per game in conference play. Northwestern’s recent woes are tied to defensive struggles, allowing an average of 76.5 points during its current 1-4 stretch. Guard Nick Martinelli, who had 19 points against Washington, and point guard Jayden Reid are secondary scoring options who must contribute heavily to keep pace. The venue offers no respite for the Wildcats. Illinois is 11-0 at home this season, winning by an average margin of 24.7 points. Wednesday’s contest tips off at 8 p.m. CST and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. Illinois will visit Michigan State on Saturday. Northwestern travels to Iowa on Sunday.