The Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball team rang in the new year with a hard-fought victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions, notching a 73-65 win at the storied Palestra in Philadelphia on January 3, 2026. In a clash that mixed history, intensity, and Big Ten grit, Illinois—ranked No. 20 nationally—showcased both their offensive firepower and defensive tenacity to keep their momentum rolling as conference play heats up.
Coach Brad Underwood’s squad entered the contest riding high off two dominant nonconference wins—a 43-point blowout of Missouri and a 35-point trouncing of Southern. But as Underwood often reminds his team, “One game at a time, one day at a time. It’s handle your day-to-day assignment, the next game, the next play. You can’t ever get too up, you can’t get too down. The next one hits you in the face, and you’ve got to continue to be very, very good every night because the coaching’s terrific.” The Big Ten, after all, is not for the faint of heart.
The Palestra, affectionately known as the “Cathedral of College Basketball,” provided a unique and intimate backdrop for this matchup. With its 99-year-old walls and a capacity of just 8,700, the building’s electric atmosphere was palpable from tip-off. Underwood, coaching at The Palestra for the first time, couldn’t help but soak in the history: “Obviously, very excited personally to be in The Palestra, a place that I’ve never been or coached a game. I love old field houses. I love history. Just the uniqueness of what some of these old buildings have and the history, I have great appreciation for.”
From the opening whistle, Illinois set the tone. Kylan Boswell got the Illini on the board with the first five points, and by the 17:23 mark, Illinois led 9-3. Penn State’s Eli Rice answered with a three-pointer, but the Illini kept applying pressure. At 15:33, Boswell led all scorers with seven points, and Illinois was up 13-3. The Nittany Lions, however, refused to back down. Dominick Stewart’s triple and Melih Tunca’s and-one cut the lead to 13-9, showing early that Penn State wouldn’t go quietly.
Illinois dominated the boards in the opening stretch, out-rebounding Penn State 10-5, including four offensive rebounds. That rebounding edge was a key storyline, given that Penn State ranked near the bottom nationally in rebounding, averaging just 30.6 per game. Illinois, on the other hand, boasted six players averaging more rebounds than Penn State’s top rebounder, freshman guard Kayden Mingo.
By the 11:02 media timeout, Illinois held a 20-13 advantage, shooting 44% from the field compared to Penn State’s 31%. Keaton Wagler, Illinois’ 6-foot-6 sophomore guard and breakout star, started to heat up, pouring in seven points in a two-minute span. Meanwhile, Rice kept Penn State within striking distance, scoring five straight points to cut the deficit to 33-21 with 3:51 left in the half. Freshman Mason Blackwood chipped in with two jumpers, including a three-pointer, trimming the margin to 35-26 at the 2:45 mark.
At halftime, Illinois led 40-26. Boswell and Wagler paced the Illini with 11 and 10 points, respectively, while Rice led Penn State with eight.
The second half opened with a flurry of three-pointers from the Nittany Lions—Kayden Mingo, Ivan Juric, and Freddie Dilione V. all connected from deep, sparking a Penn State run. At the first media timeout of the half (15:27), Illinois’ lead was trimmed to 48-37. Dilione continued to push, cutting the lead to nine with a steal and a putback. But Illinois responded with a 5-0 run, restoring a 14-point cushion at 53-39 with 12:05 to play.
Penn State’s resilience showed as they went on a mini-run to pull within eight points at 57-49 with 7:20 remaining. But every time the Nittany Lions threatened, Illinois had an answer. Boswell hit a crucial three-pointer to make it 64-49 with 5:24 left, and from there, the Illini never let the lead slip below eight. Penn State tried a full-court press, but Illinois’ poise and experience saw them through.
The numbers told the story: Illinois shot 39% from the field, Penn State 35%. The Illini’s edge on the glass and timely shooting—especially from Boswell and Wagler—proved decisive. The final score: Illinois 73, Penn State 65.
Penn State’s backcourt, led by freshman Kayden Mingo and redshirt junior Freddie Dilione V., put up a fight. Mingo, the Nittany Lions’ engine, entered the game averaging 14.8 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game, leading Penn State in all those categories. He also had 2.4 steals per contest and had only been held under 11 points twice all season. Illinois’ defensive strategy seemed clear: contain Mingo and force Penn State’s other players to beat them from the outside. While Mingo and Dilione both hit big shots, Illinois’ veteran defense—anchored by Boswell—kept the Nittany Lions’ stars from taking over.
On the other end, Wagler’s size and shooting ability (he’s hitting 42.2% from three this season) created matchup headaches for Penn State’s guards, both of whom stand 6-foot-5. The Illini’s frontcourt, including 7-footers Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivišić, also matched up well against Penn State’s bigs—freshman Ivan Juric and junior Saša Ciani—ensuring Illinois maintained its edge inside.
Illinois’ statistical dominance this season—averaging 88.2 points per game (32nd in the nation) and outscoring opponents by nearly 20 points per contest—was on display, even if Penn State made them earn every bucket. The Illini also continued their strong three-point shooting, averaging 10.5 made threes per game at a 35.6% clip, compared to Penn State’s 7.4 per game.
For Coach Underwood, the win was a testament to his team’s toughness and ability to handle adversity on the road. His record against Penn State now improves to 6-7, a notable step forward given the Nittany Lions’ knack for playing spoiler in recent years. Last season, Illinois routed Penn State by 39 in Champaign, but the year before, the Nittany Lions upset the Illini at home. Penn State had also won its last two home games against Illinois, but this time—on neutral ground in Philadelphia—the Illini held firm.
As the Big Ten season ramps up, Illinois’ blend of experience, size, and perimeter shooting bodes well for their campaign. The Illini are now 11-3 overall and 2-1 in conference play, while Penn State drops to 9-5, still searching for their first Big Ten win. With the grind of league play ahead, Underwood’s mantra rings true: “You got to have some toughness, some grit — we talked a lot about that — to go on the road and win.”
The Illini leave Philadelphia with their confidence intact and their eyes set firmly on the challenges—and opportunities—that await in the heart of Big Ten action.
