Wagler powers No. 20 Illinois past Missouri 91-48 for biggest blowout in Braggin’ Rights rivalry
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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Freshman guard Keaton Wagler made a career-best five 3-pointers and scored 22 points to lead No. 20 Illinois to a 91-48 rout of Missouri on Monday night.
Andrej Stojakovic returned from a first-half injury to score 16 points, and Tomislav Ivisic added 14 points as the Fighting Illini (9-3) rolled to the most lopsided victory in the history of the Braggin’ Rights rivalry.
Sebastian Mack had 17 points off the bench to lead Missouri (10-3) as coach Dennis Gates left his reserves in for much of the second half with the game out of hand.
After building a 16-point lead at halftime, the Illini poured it on with two 3-pointers from Ivisic in the opening minutes of the second half and finally pulled their starters with 2 1/2 minutes left.
The largest previous margin of victory in the series, which has been played 45 times since 1980, was Illinois’ 82-50 blowout in 2005, when it was coming off a Final Four run.
Wagler went 5 for 6 from 3-point range and improved to 12 for 18 in the past three games.
The Illini started to pull away midway through the first half with a run fueled by second-chance points on one end and blocks on the other.
Wagler, Ben Humrichous and Jake Davis all hit 3-pointers that followed offensive rebounds during one four-minute stretch that also featured three blocks by Zvonimir Ivisic.
Anthony Robinson II scored Missouri’s first nine points to keep it close early on, but the Tigers trailed 41-25 by the time he closed the first half by hitting a free throw for his 10th point. He finished with 12.
Stojakovic, Illinois’ second-leading scorer, went to the locker room with nine minutes left in the first half after appearing to injure his left leg. He returned to the bench before halftime and started the second half, even driving for a thunderous dunk to make it 63-36 midway through the second half.
Up next
Missouri opens SEC play at home Jan. 3 against No. 22 Florida.
Illinois hosts Southern next Monday.
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