Stojakovic’s breakout 30-piece answers the biggest question facing No. 11 Illinois—who fills the Kylan Boswell void—while extending the nation’s hottest Big Ten streak to eight games.
The Injury Curveball: Boswell Out, Stojakovic In
Brad Underwood learned Monday that Kylan Boswell—the Illini’s 14.3-point-per-game combo guard and emotional leader—will miss four-to-five weeks after surgery on a broken right hand. The timing felt brutal: Illinois was 15-3, riding a seven-game tear, and about to face a Maryland team fresh off Penn State in which Diggy Coit dropped 43.
Stojakovic’s Statement: 30 & 9 on 10-of-19 Shooting
Enter Andrej Stojakovic. The 6-7 sophomore, son of NBA legend Peja, arrived in Champaign billed as a knock-down sniper. On Wednesday he revealed a complete scoring toolkit:
- Catch-and-shoot threes: 5-11
- Pull-up mid-range: 3-5
- Transition finishes: 2-2
- Free throws: 5-6
By the 13-minute mark of the second half he had already eclipsed his previous career high of 22, forcing Maryland to junk its game plan and shadow him with 6-8 wing Solomon Washington—an assignment Stojakovic torched for eight points in the deciding 14-2 burst.
25-4 Avalanche Turns Game Into Rout
Coit’s hot hand—he opened 4-4—had Maryland up 26-22 at the under-12 timeout. Over the next 7:04 Illinois unleashed a 25-4 blitz that silenced the small Terps contingent and blew the roof off State Farm Center:
- Stojakovic personal 8-0 run (two triples, transition dunk)
- David Mirkovic corner three off Wagler drive-and-kick
- Jake Davis strip-and-score in 12 seconds
- Keaton Wagler step-back three at the buzzer for 47-30 lead
Maryland never trimmed the margin below 14 again.
Defensive Masterclass on Coit
Coit entered averaging 23.4 ppg in league play; Illinois held him to 15 on 5-15 FG. Stojakovic drew the primary assignment, using his 6-10 wingspan to contest 11 of Coit’s 15 attempts. The Terps shot 40 percent overall and 26 percent (6-23) from deep, numbers that mirror Illinois’ season-long defensive surge to No. 2 in the Big Ten in efficiency.
What It Means for the Big Ten Race
Illinois is now 7-1 in conference, a half-game behind Purdue and tied with Michigan State atop the loss column. With road trips to both rivals looming—at No. 4 Purdue Saturday, then at Michigan State next Tuesday—the Illini have banked enough cushion to survive a potential 1-1 split and still control their destiny for a double-bye in the Big Ten tournament. The Boswell absence, once viewed as a ceiling-crusher, instead has accelerated Stojakovic’s development and deepened Illinois’ late-game shot-making options.
Fan Pulse & Social Storm
Within minutes of the final horn, “Stojakovic” trended nationally on X, Orange Krush memes flooded Reddit’s r/CollegeBasketball, and bracketologists slotted Illinois as a No. 3 seed in early March Madness projections. The overarching sentiment: if the sophomore can replicate 70 percent of this production until Boswell returns, the Illini morph from dark-horse contender to legitimate Final Four sleeper.
Next Up: A Crucible Weekend
Saturday’s matinee in West Lafayette is the program’s litmus test. Purdue boasts the league’s No. 1 offense and 7-4 Zach Edey, who presents a different puzzle than Maryland’s perimeter attack. Expect Underwood to deploy Stojakovic at the four, spacing Edey while keeping Mirkovic and Ty Rodgers physical on the glass. Tip is set for 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX—circle it as the game that either stamps Illinois as the Big Ten favorite or resets the chase pack.
Keep it locked on onlytrustedinfo.com for instant film breakdowns, injury timelines, and data-driven takes that arrive faster than a Champaign fast break.
