CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Interstat) — A dominant performance on the glass and a historic individual effort from David Mirkovic propelled the Illinois Fighting Illini to an 84-65 victory over the Colgate Raiders in a non-conference men’s basketball game Friday night at a sold-out State Farm Center.

The Fighting Illini, playing in front of 15,544 fans, remained undefeated on the young season, improving to 4-0, while the Raiders fell to 1-3.

Illinois seized control of the game not with flashy shooting, but with relentless rebounding, particularly on the offensive end. The Fighting Illini hauled in a staggering 19 offensive rebounds, leading to a cascade of second-chance opportunities that a gritty Colgate squad could not withstand. This massive rebounding disparity, 19 to 4 on the offensive glass, was the central narrative of the contest, allowing Illinois to overcome a subpar 37.7 percent shooting performance from the field.

The primary beneficiary of those extra possessions was Mirkovic, who delivered a monstrous stat line. The Illinois big man was virtually unstoppable, pouring in 27 points and corralling 21 rebounds. His rebound total, which included eight on the offensive end, underscored Illinois’s physical dominance in the paint and on the perimeter. Mirkovic’s 20-20 performance provided the consistent offensive engine for the Fighting Illini throughout the night.

He was complemented by Keaton Wagler, who added 19 points and six rebounds, and Kylan Boswell, a hometown product from Champaign, who chipped in 11 points, four rebounds and four assists. Ben Humrichous also reached double figures with 10 points.

Colgate, to its credit, hung tough for much of the first half. The Raiders were led by a stellar performance from Andrew Alekseyenko, a 6-foot-8 forward from Brookline, Massachusetts, who scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds. His early scoring kept the Raiders within striking distance as the teams traded baskets in the opening minutes.

The game was tied at 8-8 early after an Alekseyenko layup, but Illinois began to methodically build its lead. A 9-2 run, capped by a David Mirkovic tip-in, gave the Fighting Illini a 17-10 advantage, forcing an early Colgate timeout. The Raiders responded, with a three-pointer from Brady Cummins of York, Maine, and a jumper from Jalen Cox of Los Angeles keeping the deficit manageable.

Illinois closed the first half on a strong note, however, using a 7-0 spurt to take a 41-30 lead into the locker room. The half was characterized by Illinois’s ability to generate extra shots; they attempted 40 field goals to Colgate’s 30, a direct result of their 11 first-half offensive rebounds.

Any hopes of a Colgate comeback were quickly extinguished in the second half. Illinois opened the period on a 7-3 run, pushing the lead to 15 points and forcing the Raiders to play from behind by a significant margin for the remainder of the game. Colgate never got the deficit back to single digits.

While Colgate actually shot a better percentage from the field, 41.9 percent to Illinois’s 37.7 percent, the sheer volume of Illinois’s attempts, fueled by their rebounding, proved decisive. The Fighting Illini also found a significant advantage at the free-throw line, converting 21 of 24 attempts, while Colgate made 8 of 9.

Jalen Cox provided a solid all-around game for the Raiders with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and a block. Josh Ahayere of Morinville, Canada, added nine points.

The game’s statistical profile highlighted Illinois’s efficiency. Despite only one more possession than Colgate, 68 to 67, the Fighting Illini scored 19 more points, translating to a robust offensive rating of 122.8 compared to Colgate’s 96.6. Illinois’s ability to capitalize on its opportunities, especially from the charity stripe and via second-chance points, was the ultimate difference.

The victory sets up a major early-season test for Illinois, which will face Alabama next Wednesday in Chicago. Colgate looks to bounce back on the road at Siena on Monday.