Mirkovic’s 13 points, 10 rebounds help No. 20 Illinois top Penn State 73-65 at Philly’s Palestra
PHILADELPHIA — David Mirkovic had 13 points and 10 rebounds and Kylan Boswell scored 18 points to lead No. 20 Illinois to a 73-65 win over Penn State on Saturday night at the Palestra.
Keaton Wagler scored 16 points and Zvonimir Ivisic added five blocked shots for the Illini (11-3, 2-1 Big Ten) in the first of a 12-day stretch in which they play three of four conference opponents on the road.
Kayden Mingo scored 16 points for a Penn State, which is trying to end a two-year run of missing the NCAA Tournament. Penn State (9-5, 0-3) tried to pull off the win with the long ball but missed 30 of 38 3-point attempts and had every small run derailed by wildly off-target shots.
The Nittany Lions enjoyed plenty of success over the last 10 years in Big Ten games at the Palestra, the nearly 100-year-old gym on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania where players from Wilt Chamberlain to LeBron James have played. The Nittany Lions beat a tough Michigan State team in 2017 and defeated No. 23 Iowa in 2020.
The Nittany Lions at least kept it close in a game in which they were 16½-point betting underdogs, according to BetMGM online sportsbook.
Nittany Lions fans that filled the bulk of the Palestra bleachers roared when Tibor Mirtic scored a layup that made it 57-49 and briefly put the threat of an upset within reach. Mingo hit a late 3 that made it 73-63.
The Ilini, who already lost one conference game to Nebraska this season, rolled to their fifth win in the last six games and fourth straight overall on the road, in large part due to a decisive edge on the boards (48-37) and at the free-throw line. Illinois shot 23 for 28 from the line. Penn State was 9 for 14.
Up next
Illinois: Hosts Rutgers on Thursday.
Penn State: Hosts No. 2 Michigan on Tuesday.