Wagler adds to impressive freshman season with a big second half for No. 13 Illinois
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Monthly Digital Subscription
$1 per week for 24 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
Monthly Digital Subscription
$4.99/week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Keaton Wagler had some pregame back spasms. Then the freshman got off to a slow start.
Illinois coach Brad Underwood asked Wagler at halftime if he was OK.
“I said, ‘Can you go?’” Underwood said, “and he said, ‘Oh yeah.’ Just so nonchalant and casual about it.”
Wagler then went out and added to his impressive season with No. 13 Illinois, scoring 20 of his 22 points in the second half of a 79-68 victory at Northwestern on Wednesday night. The 6-foot-6 guard also finished with five rebounds and three assists.
Wagler is averaging a team-high 16.1 points for the deep Illini, who have won six in a row to improve to 14-3 — matching the program’s best 17-game start since the 2012-13 season. He also leads the team with 36 3-pointers and 63 assists.
“The thing that impressed me most is how young he is and how mature he plays,” junior center Tomislav Ivisic said. “Basically, he doesn’t have a lot of mistakes in games. … He’s just extremely talented. Great teammate, and I just love playing with him.”
Wagler made it sound as if the back spasms were no big deal.
“I think I just had to just get going and try not to think about it as much,” he said. “Because warmups, you know, it was bothering me, but then once I got out there and started playing, got into the flow of the game, I didn’t feel anything at all, especially in that second half.”
It sure looked that way.
Wagler began the second half with a driving layup and a 3-pointer. He drove inside for a three-point play and made another 3 during a 9-0 run that lifted Illinois to a 62-47 lead with 9:43 remaining.
After Northwestern rallied again, Wagler set up Ivisic for a 3-pointer that made it 72-63 with 2:53 to go.
“It’s just what that young man does. It’s truly what he does,” Underwood said. “We’ve come to, not take it for granted, but we’ve come to expect those kind of performances.”
Wagler, a four-star recruit from Shawnee, Kansas, has scored at least 16 points in eight of his last nine games. He’s averaging 19.3 points in Big Ten play, helping the Illini get off to a 5-1 start in conference play that includes four road wins.
Wagler said he thinks the experience at Northwestern — when he was 7 for 12 from the field in the second half — will help him during the last part of the season.
“It gives me confidence,” he said. “I have great teammates, so I know if I’m not scoring the ball, just trying to make plays for others. They can score, too.”
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball