NCAAB · Final

Illinois Dominates USC in Convincing Victory

101

Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 10:00 PM ET · Galen Center

Illinois Fighting Illini 101, USC Trojans 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 USC Trojans?

Illinois Fighting Illini beat USC Trojans 101-65 at Galen Center on February 18, 2026.

Who was favored in Illinois Fighting Illini vs USC Trojans?

Illinois Fighting Illini were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -500 (about 83% implied). The favorite won.

In a commanding performance, the Illinois Fighting Illini defeated the USC Trojans 101-65 at the Galen Center on February 19, 2026. This matchup showcased the stark contrast in the teams' recent forms, with Illinois entering the game on a solid winning streak and USC struggling to find consistency.

Illinois, boasting a record of 22-5, has been in impressive form, winning eight of their last ten games. They averaged 81.3 points per game during this stretch while allowing only 69.4 points. Their latest victory against the Indiana Hoosiers, where they won 71-51, highlighted their defensive capabilities. In contrast, USC, with a record of 18-8, had a more mixed performance, winning six of their last ten games and averaging 75.3 points scored while allowing 74.1 points. They entered this game following a loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes, where they fell 82-89.

The Trojans have had a home record of 3-2 in their last five games, while Illinois has been strong on the road with a 3-1 record in their last four away games. Historically, Illinois had previously faced USC once in the 2025 season, winning that encounter 82-72.

In terms of injuries, the block does not provide specific details, but the absence of key players can often impact team performance, especially in high-stakes matchups like this one.

The betting lines from DraftKings indicated Illinois as the favorites, with a spread of 8.5 points and a moneyline of -500, while USC was priced at +380. The total points for the game were set at 151.5, reflecting expectations for a high-scoring affair.

The conditions at the Galen Center were conducive to a competitive game, but Illinois quickly established dominance. The scoring plays in the second half saw Illinois extend their lead, with contributions from players like Jaden Brownell, who made free throws, and Mihailo Petrovic, who assisted on a highlight alley-oop dunk. USC struggled to keep pace, managing to score only 65 points against a relentless Illinois defense.

Viewers should have noted the stark difference in execution and strategy between the two teams, with Illinois showcasing their offensive depth and defensive resilience throughout the game. The final score of 101-65 not only reflects the outcome but also emphasizes the challenges USC faces moving forward as they look to regain their footing in the season.

Odds

Book	Spread	Total	Moneyline
DraftKings	ILL -8.5	151.5 o -112 / u -108	Illinois Fighting Illini -500 · USC Trojans +380

What these prices pay on $100 · What these numbers mean

Leaders

PointsEzra Ausar15USC Trojans
AssistsKam Woods7USC Trojans
ReboundsEzra Ausar11USC Trojans
PointsAndrej Stojakovic22Illinois Fighting Illini
AssistsKylan Boswell8Illinois Fighting Illini
ReboundsJake Davis7Illinois Fighting Illini

Recent form

USC Trojans

Last 10: 6-4Streak L175.3 scored · 74.1 allowed per game3-2 at home

L82-89at Ohio State BuckeyesFeb 11
W77-75at Penn State Nittany LionsFeb 8
W81-75vs Indiana HoosiersFeb 4
W78-75vs Rutgers Scarlet KnightsFeb 1
L72-73at Iowa HawkeyesJan 29
W73-71at Wisconsin BadgersJan 25
L68-74vs Northwestern WildcatsJan 22
L64-69vs Purdue BoilermakersJan 17
W88-71vs Maryland TerrapinsJan 14
W70-69at Minnesota Golden GophersJan 10

Illinois Fighting Illini

Last 10: 8-2Streak W181.3 scored · 69.4 allowed per game3-1 away

W71-51vs Indiana HoosiersFeb 15
L90-92vs Wisconsin BadgersFeb 11
L82-85at Michigan State SpartansFeb 8
W84-44vs Northwestern WildcatsFeb 5
W78-69at Nebraska CornhuskersFeb 1
W75-66vs Washington HuskiesJan 30
W88-82at Purdue BoilermakersJan 24
W89-70vs Maryland TerrapinsJan 22
W77-67vs Minnesota Golden GophersJan 17
W79-68at Northwestern WildcatsJan 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	USC Trojans
Field goals	32-62	23-62
Field goal %	52	37
Three-pointers	13-29	7-18
Three-point %	45	39
Free throws	24-26	12-20
Free throw %	92	60
Rebounds	41	30
Offensive rebounds	13	13
Defensive rebounds	28	17
Assists	21	16
Steals	7	5
Blocks	8	2
Turnovers	9	14
Team turnovers	0	2
Technical fouls	0	0
Technical fouls, total	0	0
Flagrant fouls	0	0
Points off turnovers	22	9
Fast-break points	19	1
Points in the paint	36	28
Fouls	19	22
Largest lead	39	0
Lead changes	0	0
Time in front	98	0

How the scoring went

2nd Half60-33David Mirkovic makes 26-foot three point jumper (Keaton Wagler assists)
2nd Half60-35Terrance Williams II makes 13-foot pullup jump shot (Kam Woods assists)
2nd Half60-38Jacob Cofie makes 24-foot three point jumper (Kam Woods assists)
2nd Half60-40Ezra Ausar makes layup (Kam Woods assists)
2nd Half63-40Jake Davis makes 25-foot three point jumper (Kylan Boswell assists)
2nd Half65-40David Mirkovic makes driving layup
2nd Half68-40David Mirkovic makes 26-foot three point jumper (Andrej Stojakovic assists)
2nd Half71-40Ben Humrichous makes 28-foot three point jumper (David Mirkovic assists)
2nd Half72-40David Mirkovic makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half73-40David Mirkovic makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half73-42Kam Woods makes 6-foot floating jump shot
2nd Half75-42Andrej Stojakovic makes 1-foot dunk
2nd Half75-45Jerry Easter II makes 26-foot three point step back jumpshot (Jacob Cofie assists)
2nd Half75-47Ezra Ausar makes 0-foot tip in dunk
2nd Half77-47Andrej Stojakovic makes layup (Kylan Boswell assists)
2nd Half79-47Kylan Boswell makes 7-foot turnaround jump shot (David Mirkovic assists)
2nd Half79-49Alijah Arenas makes 19-foot pullup jump shot (Ezra Ausar assists)
2nd Half81-49Keaton Wagler makes layup
2nd Half84-49Tomislav Ivisic makes 23-foot three point jumper (Kylan Boswell assists)
2nd Half85-49Andrej Stojakovic makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half86-49Andrej Stojakovic makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half86-51Ezra Ausar makes layup
2nd Half88-51Andrej Stojakovic makes driving layup (David Mirkovic assists)
2nd Half89-51Andrej Stojakovic makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half90-51Andrej Stojakovic makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half90-54Ryan Cornish makes 27-foot three point jumper (Ezra Ausar assists)
2nd Half90-57Jacob Cofie makes 26-foot three point jumper (Ryan Cornish assists)
2nd Half92-57Andrej Stojakovic makes driving layup
2nd Half93-57Andrej Stojakovic makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half93-59Ezra Ausar makes 0-foot tip in dunk
2nd Half93-60Ezra Ausar makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half95-60Brandon Lee makes driving layup
2nd Half95-61Jaden Brownell makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half95-62Jaden Brownell makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half96-62Brandon Lee makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half97-62Brandon Lee makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half99-62Mihailo Petrovic makes driving layup
2nd Half99-63Ezra Ausar makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half101-63Zvonimir Ivisic makes 3-foot alley oop dunk (Mihailo Petrovic assists)
2nd Half101-65Ezra Ausar makes 0-foot tip in dunk