Three Instant Observations From Illinois Basketball's 71-51 Win Over Indiana

It's a wonder what a little R&R and an extra helping hand – even just the left one – can do for a basketball team.

Illinois was coming off its longest break in weeks and welcomed the return of Kylan Boswell from a fractured right hand on Sunday, and it showed in a razor-sharp 71-51 win over Indiana at the State Farm Center in Champaign. The Illini (21-5, 12-3 Big Ten) halted their brief two-game losing streak – their longest of the season – and wrung all the fight out of a Hoosiers team (17-9, 8-7) that had been gathering steam.

David Mirkovic led the way with a game-high 25 points (including three three-pointers) and seven rebounds, while Keaton Wagler maintained his mojo with 18 points, six rebounds and three steals. Illinois made up for a clunky shooting afternoon by bullying Indiana on the boards (38-25, including a 15-4 offensive rebounding advantage) and matching their high in Big Ten play with seven steals.

Here are three more observations from Illinois' domineering performance in Sunday's home win:

1. Energy was back on the Illini's side

The Illini were a little green around the gills by the end of their 12-game winning streak. Playing without Boswell and sticking to a tight rotation, they wound up in back-to-back overtime games, battling but coming up short at Michigan State and then simply half-assing their way through a home loss to Wisconsin. More than anything, these guys needed a rest.

They got it, with five nights between Tuesday's Badgers game and Sunday's clash with Indiana – and it showed. Coming off its second-worst two-game rebounding output (a combined minus-seven rebounding deficit against MSU and Wisconsin), Illinois voraciously attacked the glass against the Hoosiers, moved crisply on offense and fed off the energy of a buzzing State Farm Center. If the Illini could bottle that, ration it out evenly over the remainder of the season and, of course, get Andrej Stojakovic (ankle) back healthy soon, they're going to be in very good shape – physically and otherwise – down the stretch.

Steal 'n slam down the stretch for @IlliniMBB 🔥 pic.twitter.com/IdcEAWM88z
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 15, 2026

2. Illinois' offense benefits from multiple initiators

One of Illinois' fatal flaws during its two-game skid was its over-reliance on Wagler. That's no knock on the Big Ten Freshman of the Year frontrunner. Wagler averaged 37.4 minutes during Boswell's seven-game absence, including playing an absurd 85 minutes combined against the Spartans and Badgers. He's only human, and when he's bringing the ball up, getting the Illini into their offense and attacking matchups to both find his shot and create for others, he's going to get gassed.

Against the Hoosiers, the Illini not only took advantage of Boswell's return but also got Mirkovic involved as the offensive triggerman. An egalitarian approach makes an offense less predictable and keeps more players engaged, focused and sharp (the Illini finished with just two turnovers). Better yet, it will make Illinois more resilient to injuries, fatigue and tough matchups.

Jake Davis knocks 3️⃣ down for @IlliniMBB 🙌

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/XxSS2pJOI8
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) February 15, 2026

3. Brad Underwood should hold on to that trap

The Illini broke it out only here and there, but we've been seeing coach Brad Underwood spring halfcourt traps on opponents in recent weeks on occasion. Here's our not-so-hot take: Keep it up. Illinois' size is a critical element in its design – rebounding is everything for this team – so it's going to get caught in some tought matchups from time to time. Knowing that, it makes sense to get a little creative on the defensive end.

The zone has been a nice addition, and the Illini are deploying it more effectively over time as they improve communication and connectivity. But it has its disadvantages (three-point defense and rebounding position, for instance), and quality teams can pick it apart over 40 minutes.

But mixing zone coverages with man-to-man, plus taking advantage of that size by throwing angle-strangling traps into the mix now and then, is a potentially tasty recipe for this team – especially at this point in the season, when the pieces are all beginning to work together in a coordinated collective. The nine turnovers the Illini forced Sunday wasn't an astonishing number, but their ability to put the squeeze on the Hoosiers, drain the shot clock and force the visitors to take shots they didn't love led to them shooting just 40.8 percent – and 25.0 percent from three.

Effort and Passion. pic.twitter.com/BoqWDnDU9C
— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) February 15, 2026