Illinois’ offense catches fire in 1st exhibition match

Illinois’ offense picked up where it left off last season, scoring over 100 points to beat Cincinnati in its first exhibition match of the year. Despite missing David Mirkovic, arguably Illinois’ best player, the team still managed to score with ease.

Andrej Stojakovic led the way with 24 points, shooting 8-for-15 from the floor. The senior stuck with his strengths, driving to the basket and getting to the free-throw line. In fact, he didn’t take a single three-point shot all night. Stojakovic was a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe, though.

Three Illini guards made some noise in their unofficial debuts Saturday: Stefan Vaaks, Quentin Coleman and Ethan Brown.

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The two freshmen looked anything but. Coleman nearly recorded a triple-double with 14 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists. He also shot better than 50% from the field and knocked down 2 three-pointers.

Brown was the third-leading scorer for Illinois with 15 points. He was also 5-for-9 from the floor and shot 3-for-7 from beyond the arc. Brown impacted both ends of the floor, notching 2 steals in his 25 minutes.

Vaaks, the transfer from Providence, showed off his offensive abilities. He came off the bench, but scored 19 points in as many minutes. Vaaks was 7-for-13 from the floor and showcased his much-anticipated offensive skill set. He knocked down 2 three-pointers and found his way to the free-throw line 6 times, but only made 3.

Illinois’ defense was less impressive in Saturday’s victory. Cincinnati scored 96 points behind Tylen Riley’s 31-point, 13-assist double-double.

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Riley was nearly unstoppable, making 10 of his 18 shots from the field and knocking down all 8 of his free-throw attempts. While it’s just the first preseason game of the year, it’s still concerning to see the Illini’s defense allow such a performance. After losing Kylan Boswell, their best defender, someone else will have to step up in his place. The next two exhibition games could give a glimpse into who that might be, but…

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Publish date : 2026-10-18 16:25:00

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