Why Kylan Boswell Was the Driving Force in Illinois' Victory Over Iowa

No. 16 Illinois (13-3, 4-1 Big Ten) leapt out to a 21-5 lead over No. 19 Iowa (12-4, 2-3 Big Ten) on Sunday afternoon in Iowa City and never looked back. Leading wire to wire, the Illini were pushed late but never saw their lead dwindle below four points on their way to a 75-69 victory.

If Illinois had one person to thank for that fluffy early cushion – and essentially turning it into a win – it would be Kylan Boswell. We knew heading into this Big Ten clash that Boswell's ability to lock down Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz, as well as his contributions on the other end, were going to be important – but maybe not this big.

Illinois' Kylan Boswell shuts down Iowa's Bennett Stirtz

Few players in the country, if any, are more indispensable to their team than Stirtz. Everything the Hawkeyes do on offense runs through their standout 6-foot-4 guard, and when he’s rolling, Iowa follows suit. But when Stirtz falters, so does Iowa.

Unfortunately for the Hawkeyes, it was the latter scenario that unfolded Sunday, as Stirtz managed just 12 points on an abysmal 5-for-17 showing from the field (though he did have six assists).

Kylan Boswell steal and score for @IlliniMBB 💪

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/TNUMD7QPR8
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) January 11, 2026

Hounded for all 33 of his minutes by Boswell, Illinois’ designated perimeter stopper, Stirtz was constantly uncomfortable, rarely able to create anything downhill and hard-pressed to create even an occasional clean look.

“My hat's off to Kylan,” said Illinois head coach Brad Underwood in the aftermath of the win. "I thought he was outstanding today against a great player. Bennett’s one of the best in the country."

Although it was a team effort to slow down Stirtz, Boswell did the heavy lifting. Stuck on Stirtz like white on rice, the Illini guard had a handful of deflections – he even picked Stirtz’s pocket on one occasion – consistently kept him out of rhythm and negated the impact of the majority of ball screens Stirtz received.

“Kylan’s unique,” Underwood said. "He’s got a great, great base. He’s got great strength. And he’s got ultra-quick hands … finds a way to annoy [opposing players]. He’s strong. He picks your pocket. He fights over screens. And it wasn’t just him, but it was him setting the tone. And he’s just a veteran. He’s got tremendous skills and can do that to a lot of people."

Boswell’s prowess on the defensive end has been on the scouting report for his entire college career, but given his expanded role on offense this season – and the energy and focus it requires – his effectiveness on defense has dropped off a tick or two.

Against Iowa, though, he was the full package: 17 points (7-for-13 from the field), four rebounds, three assists and lockdown defense to take Stirtz – who finished with a game-low plus/minus of minus-14 – out of the game.

The version of Boswell we saw for 38 minutes on Sunday is a bona fide All-Big Ten player – and one who has the tools to push the Illini to a conference championship.