Stojakovic scores 24 points, No. 13 Illinois beats Texas Rio Grande
Valley 87-73
[November 25, 2025]
By STEVE STEIN
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Andrej Stojakovic scored 24
points for his fourth 20-point performance in five games, leading No. 13
Illinois to an 87-73 victory over Texas Rio Grande Valley on Monday
night. |
Illinois guard Keaton Wagler (2) goes up for a shot during an NCAA
college basketball game against Illinois Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, in
Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Craig Pessman) |
|
Mihailo Petrovic had 12 points, and David Mirkovic and twins
Zvonimir and Tomislav Ivisic each added 10 for the Illini (6-1).
They are 6-0 at home.
Illinois has started the season scoring 80 or more points in all
seven games. The Illini haven’t done that since the 1988-89
season, when the Flyin’ Illini, who lost in the national
semifinals of the NCAA Tournament, opened with 12 consecutive
games of 80 or more points.
Kye Dickson scored 21 points and Filip Brankovic had 15 for the
Rio Grande Valley (2-4), which trailed 42-31 at halftime and cut
the Illinois lead to six points twice early in the second half,
but didn't get any closer.
Stojakovic scored 14 points in the first half.
Illinois, the top rebounding team in the Big Ten, outrebounded
the Vaqueros. 44-32. Keaton Wagler and Ben Humrichous each had
eight rebounds, Zvonimir Ivisic had seven, and Stojakovic had
six.
The Vaqueros went 16-15 last seasonr. It was their first winning
season since 2018-19.
Rio Grande Valley is a second-year member of the Southland
Conference after spending 11 years in the Western Athletic
Conference.
Illinois coach Brad Underwood went 53-1 against Southland
Conference teams while winning three regular-season and three
conference tournament championships from 2013-2016, when he at
Stephen F. Austin.
Up next
Texas Rio Grande Valley: At Stephen F. Austin on Dec. 3.
Illinois: Vs. No. 5 UConn at Madison Square Garden in New York
on Friday.
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