CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In a dominating performance Monday night, freshman Kasparas Jakucionis shined for Illinois, hitting three 3-pointers and finishing with a career-high 21 points. His effort, along with a strong outing from Tomislav Ivisic, led the Fighting Illini to a decisive 92-34 victory over Little Rock.
Standing at 7 feet 1 inch, Ivisic recorded his third double-double of the season, scoring 16 points on an impressive 7-of-10 shooting, while also pulling down 11 rebounds and adding two steals. Fellow teammate Tre White, a transfer from Louisville, contributed equally with 16 points, and Will Riley chipped in with 13 points as Illinois improved to a 5-1 record.
The game began with Little Rock’s Mwani Wilkinson hitting a 3-pointer to score first. However, White quickly responded with a layup and two free throws, establishing a lead for Illinois that they would not relinquish with 18:26 remaining in the first half. Riley further extended the lead with a 3-pointer, bringing the score to 20-10 with 12 minutes still left in the opening half. Following that, the Fighting Illini went on a remarkable scoring spree, netting 23 consecutive points, which included four 3-pointers and three dunks, ultimately stretching the lead to 30 points when White scored again with 4:05 on the clock.
Little Rock experienced a significant scoring drought during the first half, missing their last nine shots and turning the ball over three times over nearly eight minutes without any points. During this stretch, Illinois capitalized on their offensive rebounds, scoring eight second-chance points.
Jakucionis, who made headlines playing point guard for Lithuania in the 2023 FIBA U18 European Championship, carried his momentum into this matchup by scoring 13 points on 3-of-4 shooting and sinking all six of his free-throw attempts, which helped Illinois secure a commanding 51-19 lead at halftime.
For Little Rock, Jordan Jefferson was the standout with 11 points, but team struggled to keep pace with the dominant Fighting Illini throughout the game.