Illinois Defeats Penn State in Close Contest
Saturday, January 3, 2026, 7:00 PM ET · The Palestra
Illinois Fighting Illini 73, Penn State Nittany Lions 65, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won Illinois Fighting Illini vs Penn State Nittany Lions?
Illinois Fighting Illini beat Penn State Nittany Lions 73-65 at The Palestra on January 3, 2026.
Who was favored in Illinois Fighting Illini vs Penn State Nittany Lions?
Illinois Fighting Illini were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -1600 (about 94% implied). The favorite won.
The Illinois Fighting Illini secured a victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions with a final score of 73-65 in a closely contested game at The Palestra. This matchup was significant as it showcased the contrasting fortunes of both teams, with Illinois improving its record to 12-3 while Penn State fell to 9-6.
Illinois entered the game on a two-game winning streak, having won seven of their last ten games, with an average of 84.0 points scored and 68.8 points allowed during that stretch. Their recent form included a dominant win against the Southern Jaguars, where they scored 90 points, and a convincing 91-48 victory over the Missouri Tigers. The Fighting Illini's away record stood at 2-1, indicating a solid performance on the road.
On the other hand, Penn State had a mixed record of 6-4 in their last ten games, with an average of 78.5 points scored and 78.4 points allowed. Their recent results included a strong win against the North Carolina Central Eagles, where they scored 90 points, but they also suffered a heavy defeat to the Pittsburgh Panthers, losing by 34 points. The Nittany Lions had a home record of 5-3, showing they were competitive at The Palestra but inconsistent overall.
In terms of head-to-head meetings, this was the second encounter between the two teams in the current season. In their previous meeting on January 9, 2025, Illinois had decisively defeated Penn State 91-52, which added to the pressure on the Nittany Lions to perform better this time around.
The injury situation did not significantly impact either team, allowing both sides to field their key players. However, the absence of any major injuries can often play a crucial role in the outcome of tightly contested games.
The betting market, as provided by DraftKings, had Illinois favored by a spread of 14.5 points, with a total set at 156.5. The moneyline reflected Illinois as a heavy favorite at -1600, while Penn State was at +900, indicating a strong expectation for an Illinois win.
Conditions during the game were typical for a winter evening in January, with both teams needing to adapt to the indoor environment of The Palestra, which is known for its unique atmosphere and passionate fanbase.
Key moments in the game included a series of free throws made by Kylan Boswell and Andrej Stojakovic, which helped Illinois maintain their lead in the second half. Kayden Mingo also made a notable impact for Penn State, hitting a crucial three-point jumper and a driving layup, but it was not enough to close the gap as Illinois held firm to secure the win.
Overall, the game highlighted Illinois's ability to perform under pressure and maintain their winning momentum, while Penn State will need to regroup and address their defensive inconsistencies as they move forward in the season.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | ILL -14.5 | 156.5 o -105 / u -115 | Illinois Fighting Illini -1600 · Penn State Nittany Lions +900 |
Leaders
- PointsKayden Mingo16Penn State Nittany Lions
- AssistsKayden Mingo5Penn State Nittany Lions
- ReboundsEli Rice4Penn State Nittany Lions
- PointsKylan Boswell18Illinois Fighting Illini
- AssistsKeaton Wagler3Illinois Fighting Illini
- ReboundsDavid Mirkovic10Illinois Fighting Illini
Recent form
Penn State Nittany Lions
Last 10: 6-4Streak W178.5 scored · 78.4 allowed per game5-3 at home
- W90-67vs North Carolina Central EaglesDec 29
- L46-80vs Pittsburgh PanthersDec 21
- L72-76vs Michigan State SpartansDec 13
- L72-113at Indiana HoosiersDec 10
- W87-76vs Campbell Fighting CamelsDec 2
- W90-59vs Sacred Heart PioneersNov 29
- W96-87vs Boston University TerriersNov 26
- L65-77vs Providence FriarsNov 22
- W84-80vs Harvard CrimsonNov 19
- W83-69at La Salle ExplorersNov 15
Illinois Fighting Illini
Last 10: 7-3Streak W284 scored · 68.8 allowed per game2-1 away
- W90-55vs Southern JaguarsDec 29
- W91-48vs Missouri TigersDec 23
- L80-83vs Nebraska CornhuskersDec 13
- W88-80at Ohio State BuckeyesDec 10
- W75-62at Tennessee VolunteersDec 7
- L61-74at UConn HuskiesNov 28
- W87-73vs UT Rio Grande Valley VaquerosNov 25
- W98-58vs Long Island University SharksNov 22
- L86-90vs Alabama Crimson TideNov 20
- W84-65vs Colgate RaidersNov 15
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 37-3 | - | 19-1 |
| Nebraska | 28-7 | 4 | 15-5 |
| Michigan State | 27-8 | 4 | 15-5 |
| Illinois | 28-9 | 4 | 15-5 |
| Wisconsin | 24-11 | 5 | 14-6 |
| Purdue | 30-9 | 6 | 13-7 |
| UCLA | 24-12 | 6 | 13-7 |
| Ohio State | 21-13 | 7 | 12-8 |
| Iowa | 24-13 | 9 | 10-10 |
| Indiana | 18-14 | 10 | 9-11 |
| Minnesota | 15-18 | 11 | 8-12 |
| USC | 18-14 | 12 | 7-13 |
| Washington | 16-17 | 12 | 7-13 |
| Rutgers | 14-20 | 13 | 6-14 |
| Northwestern | 15-19 | 14 | 5-15 |
| Oregon | 12-20 | 14 | 5-15 |
| Maryland | 12-21 | 15 | 4-16 |
| Penn State | 12-20 | 16 | 3-17 |
Box score
| Stat | Illinois Fighting Illini | Penn State Nittany Lions |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 22-56 | 24-69 |
| Field goal % | 39 | 35 |
| Three-pointers | 6-27 | 8-38 |
| Three-point % | 22 | 21 |
| Free throws | 23-28 | 9-14 |
| Free throw % | 82 | 64 |
| Rebounds | 48 | 37 |
| Offensive rebounds | 13 | 14 |
| Defensive rebounds | 35 | 23 |
| Assists | 9 | 11 |
| Steals | 4 | 7 |
| Blocks | 6 | 1 |
| Turnovers | 10 | 7 |
| Team turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 10 | 8 |
| Fast-break points | 10 | 7 |
| Points in the paint | 30 | 30 |
| Fouls | 17 | 26 |
| Largest lead | 15 | 0 |
| Lead changes | 0 | 0 |
| Time in front | 99 | 0 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half44-32Kayden Mingo makes 26-foot three point jumper
- 2nd Half45-32David Mirkovic makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half46-32David Mirkovic makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half46-34Kayden Mingo makes 9-foot floating jump shot
- 2nd Half46-37Freddie Dilione V makes 24-foot three point jumper (Kayden Mingo assists)
- 2nd Half48-37David Mirkovic makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half48-39Freddie Dilione V makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half51-39Jake Davis makes 24-foot three point jumper (David Mirkovic assists)
- 2nd Half53-39David Mirkovic makes driving layup (Mihailo Petrovic assists)
- 2nd Half53-41Freddie Dilione V makes driving layup
- 2nd Half54-41David Mirkovic makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half55-41David Mirkovic makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half55-43Saša Ciani makes layup (Freddie Dilione V assists)
- 2nd Half57-43Zvonimir Ivisic makes 1-foot dunk (David Mirkovic assists)
- 2nd Half57-45Freddie Dilione V makes driving layup
- 2nd Half57-47Saša Ciani makes layup (Kayden Mingo assists)
- 2nd Half57-49Tibor Mirtic makes layup (Dominick Stewart assists)
- 2nd Half59-49Andrej Stojakovic makes driving layup
- 2nd Half62-49Kylan Boswell makes 25-foot three point jumper
- 2nd Half63-49Keaton Wagler makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half64-49Keaton Wagler makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half64-51Eli Rice makes layup
- 2nd Half64-52Eli Rice makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half65-52Keaton Wagler makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half66-52Keaton Wagler makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half66-53Kayden Mingo makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half66-54Kayden Mingo makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half67-54Keaton Wagler makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half68-54Keaton Wagler makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half68-56Kayden Mingo makes driving layup
- 2nd Half69-56David Mirkovic makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half69-58Ivan Juric makes layup
- 2nd Half70-58Kylan Boswell makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half71-58Kylan Boswell makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half71-59Kayden Mingo makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half71-60Kayden Mingo makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half72-60Andrej Stojakovic makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half73-60Andrej Stojakovic makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half73-63Kayden Mingo makes 25-foot three point jumper (Melih Tunca assists)
- 2nd Half73-65Kayden Mingo makes driving layup
Win probability
Above the line favours Penn State Nittany Lions, below favours Illinois Fighting Illini.
Venue
- The PalestraPhiladelphia, PA
- Attendance4686
- OfficialsBrian Dorsey, Paul Szelc, Jeffrey Anderson
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