Tue Dec 03 04:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Illinois Upsets No. 19 Arkansas in Thanksgiving Hoops Showcase

**KANSAS CITY, MO** – Freshman Kasparas Jakucionis led the Illinois Fighting Illini to a convincing 90-77 victory over the No. 19 Arkansas Razorbacks Thursday night in the Thanksgiving Hoops Showcase. Jakucionis exploded for a season-high 23 points, highlighted by clutch three-pointers and a step-back jumper late in the game.

The Illini dominated from the outset, jumping out to a 21-6 lead and maintaining a comfortable advantage throughout the contest. A strong shooting performance, particularly from beyond the arc (15-of-31), fueled Illinois’ success. Tomislav Ivisic added a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, including an impressive 6-of-9 performance from three-point range. Kylan Boswell contributed 18 points to the Illini’s offensive onslaught. The win also marked a milestone for Illinois head coach Brad Underwood, who earned his 149th victory, tying him for fifth place in program history.

Arkansas’ Adou Thiero led the Razorbacks with 26 points, many coming from the free-throw line (12-of-21), but it wasn’t enough to overcome Illinois’ superior shooting and overall team effort. Zvonimir Ivisic, Tomislav’s twin brother, added 13 points for Arkansas. Despite his brother’s strong performance, Tomislav’s impressive showing sealed the victory for Illinois.

The Illini (6-1) continue their season on December 6th against Northwestern in Big Ten play, while Arkansas (5-2) heads to Miami on Tuesday for the SEC/ACC Challenge.

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