Rutgers Washed Away By Illinois, What Went Wrong?

Rutgers men’s basketball was routed 81-55 by Illinois, as a disastrous first half erased momentum from their recent win over Oregon

Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Lino Mark (2) eyes the basketball as Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23). Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

While the win over Oregon gave some hope, Rutgers men's basketball crashed hard against Illinois. The Scarlet Knights were dismantled by the Illini 81-55 in Champaign, exposing some familiar flaws that resulted in a disappointing loss. This slip has dropped Rutgers to 8-8 overall and 1-4 in Big Ten play.

1) Rutgers Never Recovered From The First Half Collapse

Rutgers won the opening tip and even grabbed an early lead when Harun Zrno drained a three. But the offense stalled quickly. Both teams leaned on free throws early, with Illinois building an 11-6 lead five minutes in.

Then the Illini took initiative and turned the tables. A 10-0 run, backed by Jake Davis' back-to-back threes, pushed the margin to double digits. Rutgers briefly trimmed it to 23-16, but Illinois responded brutally with a 20-0 surge over the final 7 minutes of the half.

Davis poured in all 12 of his points on four first-half triples, while Rutgers went scoreless for the last 8:11, missing its final 12 shots. The Scarlet Knights shot a dismal 21 percent (6-of-28) in the opening period, including 2-of-13 from deep and 2-of-6 at the line. Illinois led 43-16 at halftime, and Rutgers managed just four fewer points than Davis alone.

2) Rutgers And Their Blunt Shooting

Rutgers showed brief life out of the locker room, opening with a 12-5 spurt to cut the deficit to 20. Zrno's three helped, but Illinois slammed the door with a quick 7-0 counter, restoring a 27-point cushion.

From there, the Illini coasted. Keaton Wagler led with 17 points and seven rebounds, Tomislav Ivisic added 14, Andrej Stojakovic contributed 12 points and eight boards, and Davis finished with 12. Illinois dominated the glass (45-32), outscored Rutgers 26-18 in the paint, and hit 18-of-21 free throws, leading the Big Ten and ranking third nationally in percentage.

#illini Brad Underwood on fast starts vs. Missouri, Penn State and Rutgers compared to earlier games

"Wish I knew. I think it's a good mental focus. I think we've been really dialed in. I think we've gotten much better at not giving up layups and easy baskets."

Illinois off to… pic.twitter.com/8wI4xhamFH

— Carson Gourdie (@GourdieReport) January 9, 2026

Tariq Francis, the hero against Oregon with 30 points, endured an off night. He scored just six points on 3-of-10 shooting in 17 minutes. After averaging 25 points over the prior four games, including two 30-point outbursts off the bench. Only Kaden Powers (12 points) and Zrno (11) reached double figures for Rutgers.

The Scarlet Knights shot 36.5 percent overall, 27 percent from three (6-of-22), and a woeful 38 percent from the line. Rutgers matched Illinois with seven turnovers forced and five blocks.

3) Old Problems Still Here

This blowout once again pointed out how Rutgers lacks interior presence and a consistent scoring punch beyond flashes from guards. Free-throw woes reappeared painfully. Defensive lapses allowed Illinois to overwhelm early and completely shatter their chances.

Illinois improved to 12-3 (3-1), winning its fourth straight and staying unbeaten at home against Rutgers (9-0 lifetime, 8-0 in Big Ten era). For the Scarlet Knights, it's a step back after hopes of progress.

Rutgers returns home Sunday against Northwestern. They'll need sharper execution and Francis' bounce-back to avoid digging a deeper conference hole. In a grueling Big Ten, nights like this show how far the rebuild under Steve Pikiell still has to go.

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