Illinois Routs Long Island 98-58 Behind Stojakovic's 20 Points
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In a dominant performance, the No. 8 Illinois Fighting Illini bounced back from their loss to No. 11 Alabama with a 98-58 thrashing of Long Island. Andrej Stojakovic led the team with 20 points, while Keaton Wagler added 19. The Illini's rebounding prowess, which is the best in the Big Ten, was on full display as they outrebounded Long Island 40-22. This included 11 offensive rebounds that led to crucial second-chance points. Illinois shot an impressive 63% from the field and outscored the Sharks 68-24 in the paint. The team's high-scoring offense, which is second in the Big Ten, averaged 95.4 points per game this season, but they exceeded that mark against Long Island. The Illini's 69% shooting in the first half set the tone for the rest of the game, as they led 54-19 at halftime. Long Island, led by coach Rod Stickland, a former DePaul star and 17-year NBA veteran, has lost three straight games after initially starting the season with three wins. The team will look to bounce back against Missouri State on Monday. Illinois, on the other hand, will host Texas Rio Grande Valley at home on Monday, where they will look to extend their streak of 34 consecutive home wins against unranked non-conference opponents.
