NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
Freshman guard Keaton Wagler made a career-best five 3-pointers and scored 22 points to lead No. 20 Illinois to a 91-48 rout of Missouri on Monday night.
Andrej Stojakovic returned from injury in the first half to score 16 points, and Tomislav Ivisic added 14 points as the Fighting Illini (9-3) earned the most lopsided victory in Braggin’ Rights rivalry history.
Sebastian Mack had 17 points off the bench to lead Missouri (10-3) as coach Dennis Gates let his reserves go for much of the second half with the game out of control.
After taking a 16-point halftime lead, the Illini added to it with two 3-pointers from Ivisic in the opening minutes of the second half and finally pulled their starters with 2 1/2 minutes remaining.
The largest previous margin of victory in the series, which has been played 45 times since 1980, was Illinois’ 82-50 win in 2005, coming off a Final Four run.
Wagler went 5 for 6 from 3-point range and improved to 12 for 18 over the last three games.
The Illini began to pull away midway through the first half with a run fueled by second-chance points on one end and blocks on the other.
Wagler, Ben Humrichous and Jake Davis all hit 3-pointers that followed offensive rebounds during a four-minute stretch that also included three blocks from Zvonimir Ivisic.
Anthony Robinson II scored Missouri’s first nine points to keep it close early, but the Tigers trailed 41-25 by the time he closed the first half by hitting a free throw for his 10th point. He finished with 12.
Stojakovic, Illinois’ second-leading scorer, went to the locker room with nine minutes remaining in the first half after appearing to injure his left leg. He returned to the bench before halftime and started the second half, even driving a thunderous dunk to make the score 63-36 midway through the second half.
To be continued
Missouri opens SEC play at home Jan. 3 against No. 22 Florida.
Illinois hosts Southern next Monday.
Want great stories delivered straight to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports accountand follow the leagues, teams and players to receive a daily personalized newsletter!
