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Illini Outlast Red Raiders in Thriller
30 May
Summary
- Illinois secured an 81-77 victory over Texas Tech.
- Key Texas Tech players are gone due to draft and transfers.
- Illinois returns more starters than Texas Tech.
The Illinois Illini emerged victorious in the inaugural game of their home-and-home series against Texas Tech, securing an 81-77 win. Junior Andrej Stojakovic's clutch block in the final seconds sealed the victory for the Illini at the State Farm Center.
Illinois' defensive effort was significant, with Kylan Boswell and Stojakovic effectively guarding Texas Tech's key players, Christian Anderson and JT Toppin. However, the Red Raiders will be without these starters for future matchups. Anderson entered the NBA Draft, Watts transferred, and Toppin is sidelined with a torn ACL.
Texas Tech has bolstered its roster through the transfer portal, adding former Illini guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn and Cruz Davis from Hofstra, aiming to compensate for offensive losses. In contrast, Illinois will be without Boswell and Keaton Wagler but returns key players and possesses strong depth, preparing for future matchups against a revamped Texas Tech squad.
