Illinois Dominates Boards to Defeat Indiana

The Illini bounce back from two straight losses with a physical performance on the glass.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Despite shooting just 22.6% from three-point range, the 8th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini defeated the Indiana Hoosiers 71-51 by crashing the offensive boards and converting second-chance opportunities. The Illini grabbed 15 offensive rebounds, reclaiming 40.5% of their own misses and scoring 17 second-chance points. This physical edge on the glass helped Illinois overcome a poor shooting performance and reestablish their identity as a team that can win games through rebounding and effort even when their shots aren't falling.

Why it matters

After losing two straight games, this win helps Illinois reassert their identity as a tough, physical team that can dominate the glass and create extra possessions. Rebounding had been an issue in their recent losses, so this performance shows the Illini are capable of regaining that edge when needed.

The details

Illinois center Tomislav Ivisic and guard Kylan Boswell each grabbed 4 offensive rebounds, leading the team's effort to reclaim 40.5% of their own misses. This allowed the Illini to get multiple chances on many of their possessions, wearing down the Hoosiers' defense and generating 17 second-chance points. Illinois' size advantage, with 6'10" and 6'7" players at multiple positions, enabled them to rise above traffic and secure long rebounds off their many missed three-pointers.

  • The game was played on February 15, 2026 in Champaign, Illinois.

The players

Tomislav Ivisic

Illinois' 6'10" center who grabbed 4 offensive rebounds in the game.

Kylan Boswell

Illinois' guard who also grabbed 4 offensive rebounds.

David Mirkovic

Illinois' leading scorer with 25 points and 2 offensive rebounds.

Brad Underwood

Illinois' head coach who emphasized rebounding in practice leading up to the game.

Darian DeVries

Indiana's head coach who praised Illinois' size and rebounding ability.

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What they’re saying

“I thought one of the big keys to the game was just getting back to us on the glass.”

— Brad Underwood, Illinois Head Coach (SI.com)

“They have so much size, really at all five positions. You see that in rebounding.”

— Darian DeVries, Indiana Head Coach (SI.com)

“In both games that we lost, we lost the rebounding battle. We weren't that hungry as we were on the defensive end today, and that was the emphasis the last two days in practice. And I think we did it well today, and that's why we won.”

— David Mirkovic (SI.com)

What’s next

Illinois will look to build on this rebounding-focused win when they face off against Michigan State on February 19th.

The takeaway

Illinois' ability to dominate the glass, even on an off-shooting night, shows their versatility as a team. Their size and physicality make them a threat to win games in multiple ways, not just when their shots are falling. This performance reestablishes Illinois as one of the toughest, most well-rounded teams in the Big Ten.