Key Takeaway From Illinois' Win Over Texas Tech: Andrej Stojakovic Has Arrived

In Andrej Stojakovic’s first outing as a member of the Illinois men's basketball team last Friday in 113-70 win over Florida Gulf Coast, he showed flashes but appeared out of place at times. Call it rust, call it an adjustment period. But on Tuesday night against Texas Tech, that was all over.

The standard. pic.twitter.com/vP74JKA5QB
— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) November 12, 2025

With the competition ramping up against the No. 11 Red Raiders, Stojakovic ramped his game up – and to the highest possible level. He came to Champaign with a reputation as a pure bucket-getter, a bill he certainly lived up to Tuesday – but it was his defense that may have won the Illini the game.

After a bizarre flagrant foul called on guard Kylan Boswell and a pair of made free throws from Texas Tech, the Illinois lead was just 80-77 with 12 seconds remaining, with the ball going back to the Red Raiders. The ball was inbounded to star forward JT Toppin – who finished with 35 points – and made its way to guard Christian Anderson, who beat Stojakovic to the three-point line for what appeared to be a great look.

Then Stojakovic sprung, seemingly from out of frame, for a game-saving block that encapsulated his entire performance Tuesday. Every time Texas Tech went on a run or built any sort of momentum, Stojakovic was there to save the Illini with a bucket – or a steal or a block – and take the air out of the Red Raiders' sails.

HUUUUGE block for the Fighting Illini! @IlliniMBB pic.twitter.com/uBRf579Bmy
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) November 12, 2025

Mind you, this was after Stojakovic had missed eight-plus weeks and put in just his first full practice since summer. Even if he is 100 percent healthy, there is no chance he’s fully conditioned – yet he still went for a stellar stat line of 23 points (11-for-16 from the field), three steals and two blocks in just 26 minutes off the bench to lead Illinois to an 81-77 victory.

Let’s take a look at exactly how he did it on both ends.

Andrej Stojakovic puts on a show in Illinois' victory over Texas Tech

Offense

A truly gifted scorer with that innate, heaven-sent ability to put the ball in the cup, Stojakovic is the real deal on offense. Aside from his lone three-point miss – an air ball – Stojakovic was nearly flawless.

In the most complimentary sense, he tended not to overcomplicate things. Getting the Red Raiders’ Anderson – who is just 6-foot-3 and 178 pounds – switched on to him a handful of times, Stojakovic simply put his shoulder into Anderson’s chest and went through him.

A slithery driver, Stojakovic created contact before burrowing his way past Texas Tech defenders on other occasions, and he also showed off a spin on another possession.

We saw the midrange jumper as well, but Stojakovic spent the majority of his time at the rim. His ability off the bounce is quite unique. He’s athletic, but doesn’t have an ultra-quick first step or jaw-dropping vertical athleticism. He’s physical, but doesn’t play with brute force. He has a feathery touch and an architect's feel for angles.

Andrej Stojakovic put on a show tonight in Champaign 🤩

23 points in 26 minutes off the bench 🔥 @IlliniMBB pic.twitter.com/CrVUtWnkR7
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 12, 2025

But it’s Stojakovic's combination of athleticism, physicality and touch paired with his scoring IQ – the latter of which you can’t exactly teach – that can't quite be quantified. Stojakovic doesn’t have to think about how he’s going to get a bucket against a defender. He feels it. He just goes. As all gifted scorers do, he has that subconscious ability to recognize his advantage and act on it before a defense has a moment to adjust.

The Illini went out and grabbed Stojakovic in the transfer portal because every team needs a late-game closer to win in March. On Tuesday night, Stojakovic made it crystal clear that he is that guy.

Illinois transfer Andrej Stojakovic went off in a win over No. 11 Texas Tech:

23 PTS | 11-16 FG | 3 STL | 3 REB | 26 MINS pic.twitter.com/YOVN76r9Yx
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) November 12, 2025

Defense

Now this was a shocker. Stojakovic wasn’t a poor defender at Cal, but he had hardly been categorized as a two-way player. Illinois coach Brad Underwood, however, had stated multiple times that he believed Stojakovic had a chance to be a great defender. Well, he might already be there.

Not only did he register three steals and two blocks Tuesday, but Stojakovic was even more impressive as an on-ball defender against the Red Raiders, consistently staying in front of his opponent. The expectation was that Boswell would draw the Anderson matchup and be forced to blow up his ball-screen actions, but it was actually Stojakovic who spent much of the game on Anderson – and he did a stellar job (as did Boswell in a unique matchup with Toppin).

Stojakovic worked his way over and around picks, remained physical with Anderson while avoiding fouling, and utilized his frame and length to keep the Texas Tech guard out of the paint while disrupting his rhythm and denying him a clean look from deep.

If Stojakovic can consistently defend at that level, and with that versatility – he appears to be able to effectively guard 1 through 3 – he may quickly find himself in All-American conversations. And Illinois may find itself in the thick of a Final Four season.