Illinois dropped their first home game of the season to Baylor 95-91 on Friday night, but that wasn’t even the worst part. What was supposed to be an encouraging exhibition win turned into a straight-up gut punch, with multiple key players going down to injury and a preseason All-American already sidelined. Fans walked out of State Farm Center with frowns for good reason, because this was a rough one.
Baylor Blazes, Illini Buried Early
The night started looking bad even before tip-off, with David Mirkovic already seen in a boot and on a scooter during pregame warmups, a tough blow for a preseason All-American. Then the game started, and Baylor just went off. Their offense was firing on all cylinders in the first half, shooting a ridiculous 61% from 3-point range and piling up a massive 63 points. Illinois just couldn’t keep up on either end of the court, staring at a 19-point deficit by halftime. The defense was porous, the offense couldn’t connect, and it felt like the night was already lost.
A Furious Fight Back, Then More Crushing Blows
Credit where credit is due, the Illini didn’t quit. They came out of the tunnel for the second half like a completely different team, mounting a serious comeback. Andrej Stojakovic kicked things off with a corner-three and a slam dunk, igniting a wave of momentum. They got better on the boards, cleaned up their ball-handling, and finally found a way to cool down Baylor’s offense, holding them to just 32 second-half points. But just as Illinois was clawing its way back into it, the injury bug bit again, hard. Zvonimir Ivisic and Stojakovic both took nasty falls, looking like head injuries, and neither returned to the game. Then Tomislav Ivisic limped off the court midway through the half, though he did make it back to the bench. Despite these crushing injuries, Lincoln Williams, Quentin Coleman, Ethan Brown, Jake Davis, and Jason Jakstys kept the fight alive, shrinking that deficit to just four points with only minutes left. It was a valiant effort, but ultimately fell just short.
What the Numbers Say About This Tough Night
The absence of David Mirkovic was clearly felt, especially when it came to rebounding and in the paint. Coach Brad Underwood always talks about offensive rebounding and second-chance points, and the Illini were great at getting those last season. But against Baylor, they got beaten at their own game, losing both the rebound and second-chance points battles. Freshman guard Quentin Coleman did everything he could to keep his team afloat, leading all scorers with 20 points, adding seven rebounds, and dishing out six assists. Before his hard fall, Andrej Stojakovic had 15 points, knocking down six free throws and showing off his ability to drive to the rim and draw fouls. Freshman Ethan Brown also had a solid night with seven points, two rebounds, and two assists. Stefan Vaaks and Jake Davis, after slow starts, picked up the scoring in the second half, combining for 23 points in hopes of sealing that comeback. Ultimately, early turnovers and missed shots on offense cost them big time.
This was a brutal home opener. Losing the game stings, but losing multiple key guys to injury makes it a whole lot worse. The Illini have to regroup, get healthy, and figure out how to put a full 40 minutes together without their full squad, because the season just got a whole lot tougher.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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