No. 10 Illinois Crushes USC by 36 Points

Fighting Illini stay close in Big Ten title chase with dominant road win

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The 10th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini routed the University of Southern California Trojans 101-65 on Wednesday night, led by 22 points from Andrej Stojakovic. Illinois led by 22 at halftime and pulled away in the second half, hitting 13 three-pointers and 24 of 26 free throws. The loss was USC's biggest of the season as they played without their second-leading scorer Chad Baker-Mazara due to injury.

Why it matters

The lopsided victory keeps Illinois firmly in the hunt for the Big Ten conference title, as they remain in second place behind Michigan. For USC, the loss is a setback in their quest to secure an NCAA Tournament berth, as they fall to 0-4 against ranked opponents this season.

The details

Illinois was led by Andrej Stojakovic's 22 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line. The Illini had seven players score in double figures and shot a blistering 46% from three-point range. USC struggled without Baker-Mazara, committing 14 turnovers that led to 22 points for Illinois.

  • The game took place on Wednesday, February 19, 2026.
  • Illinois visits UCLA on Saturday, February 22, 2026.
  • USC hosts Oregon on Saturday, February 22, 2026.

The players

Andrej Stojakovic

A key player for the Illinois Fighting Illini, scoring 22 points on 6-of-7 shooting and a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line.

Chad Baker-Mazara

USC's second-leading scorer at 18.3 points per game, who missed the game due to a strained knee.

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What’s next

Illinois will look to continue their strong play when they visit UCLA on Saturday, while USC will host Oregon as they try to bounce back from this lopsided defeat.

The takeaway

Illinois' dominant performance on the road against a ranked opponent keeps them firmly in the Big Ten title race, while USC's loss without their second-leading scorer is a setback in their quest to secure an NCAA Tournament berth.