NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tomislav Ivišić and Keaton Wagler each scored 16 points and No. 14 Illinois beat No. 13 Tennessee 75-62 on Saturday night in the second part of the Music City Madness.
The Illini (7-2) came in rested after an eight-day break, with this their last of four top-15 opponents over a seven-game stretch. Illinois snapped a five-game skid on neutral courts against ranked opponents and also gave coach Brad Underwood his first win in three tries against Tennessee.
Illinois is averaging 90.4 points this season after leading the Big Ten in scoring last season. Leading scorer Kylan Boswell went to the bench in the opening minutes grabbing at his left shoulder. He returned and finished with 15 points.
David Mirković added 10 for the Illini.
Tennessee (7-3) has lost three straight after going 30-8 last season and reaching the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie led the Volunteers with 15 points. Freshman Nate Ament, who came in averaging 17.1 points, finished with nine.
The Vols never led by more than two and had their last lead at 49-48 on a J.P. Estrella dunk. Andrej Stojaković’s layup gave Illinois the lead back for good and started a 15-3 run, and Boswell’s layup with 6:55 to play put the Illini up 63-52. Illinois pushed it to as much as 14 in the final minutes.
Illinois controlled much of the first half. Ivišić scored the last 10 of the half for the Illini, but the Vols finished the half on an 11-4 run, with Cade Phillips’ layup with 51 seconds left putting them up 34-32 at halftime.
Up next
- Illinois: At Ohio State on Tuesday.
- Tennessee: Hosts No. 6 Louisville on Dec. 16.
