Illinois Opens Season With 120-45 Rout of Fairleigh Dickinson
No. 3 Illinois beat Fairleigh Dickinson 120-45 in Champaign on November 2, setting a program record with 19 three-pointers. Andrej Stojakovic and Stefan Vaaks scored 20 points apiece.
Illinois began its season with a 75-point victory at the State Farm Center, its largest margin there since the arena opened in 1963. The Illini’s 19 made three-pointers set a program record, and the team fell seven points short of its single-game scoring record.
Stojakovic and Vaaks led the scoring with 20 points each. Six Illinois players reached double figures, and the Illini dominated the boards, 65-21. Quinton Coleman had 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Ethan Brown and Zavier Zens each scored 12 in their collegiate debuts. Tomislav Ivisic added 10 points.
Illinois built a 24-0 run late in the first half and went into the break ahead 67-20. The teams combined for 48 three-point attempts before halftime; Illinois made 12 of 31, while Fairleigh Dickinson made one of 17. The Knights finished 17-for-61 from the field, with David Jevtic scoring a team-high 13 points.
The Illini played without forward David Mirkovic, who is out indefinitely after an appendectomy and is also recovering from foot surgery. Jake Davis sustained a shoulder injury before halftime and was unable to play again. Illinois also sat out Lincoln Williams, who was listed with a groin injury.
Illinois is 1-0 and has won 10 consecutive season openers under coach Brad Underwood. Fairleigh Dickinson, which finished 11-21 last season, is 0-1. The Knights visit Butler on Wednesday, and Illinois hosts Penn on Thursday.