Andrej Stojakovic scores 25, Quentin Coleman adds 19 as No. 3 Illinois beats Penn 112-70
Illinois guard Andrej Stojakovic goes up to the basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Penn Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, in Champaign, Ill. Credit: AP/Craig Pessman
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Andrej Stojavovic scored 25 points and Quentin Coleman had 19, including 15 in the second half, to lead No. 3 Illinois to a 112-70 victory Thursday over Penn.
Zavier Zens had 18 points, Ethan Brown had 13 points and 10 rebounds, Lincoln Williams had 12 points and nine rebounds in his collegiate debut and Stefan Vaaks tossed in 11 points for the Illini (2-0), who shot 59% from the field (43 of 73) and outrebounded Penn 62-33.
Illinois also scored in triple figures in its opener, beating Fairleigh Dickinson 120-45 on Monday.
Michael Zanoni scored 16 points for Penn (0-1) and Lucas Lueth had 14 points and three blocked shots.
Illinois led 53-30 at halftime. Stojakovic scored 21 points in the first half and Illinois outscored Penn 30-8 over the last 10:22 to break open a tight game.
The Illini played without returning starters David Mirkovic, an AP preseason All-American, and Jake Davis. Each is out indefinitely.
Mirkovic is recovering from foot surgery in August and an appendectomy Saturday. Davis suffered a separated shoulder early in the game vs. Fairleigh-Dickinson and underwent surgery Wednesday.
Illinois guard Ethan Brown drives against Penn forward TJ Power during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, in Champaign, Ill. Credit: AP/Craig Pessman
The Illini beat Penn 105-70 in a first-round NCAA Tournament game last season with Mirkovic scoring 29 points and collecting 17 rebounds and went on to play in the Final Four.
Ivy League preseason favorite Penn has four returning starters and seven of its top nine scorers back from last year's team, which won the league tournament and earned its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2018.
Ex-Iowa coach Fran McCaffery is in his second year as the Quakers’ coach. Illinois was 16-11 against McCaffery in his 15 years in charge of the Hawkeyes.
Up next
Penn: Hosts Howard on Monday.
Illinois' Zavier Zens, left, fights for a rebound with Penn's TJ Power, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, in Champaign, Ill. Credit: AP/Craig Pessman
Illinois: At No. 19 Texas Tech on Tuesday.
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