Andrej Stojakovic came off the bench and delivered a performance worthy of his family’s name Tuesday night.
The sophomore Cal transfer and son of former NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic scored 23 points on 11-of-16 shooting, adding three steals and two blocks to lead No. 16 Illinois past No. 11 Texas Tech 81-77. It was only his second game with the Illini, but he played like a veteran closer.
Stojakovic’s final act sealed it. With Illinois clinging to an 80-77 lead in the closing seconds, he blocked Christian Anderson’s potential game-tying 3-pointer after recovering from a screen. That defensive stand capped a night in which he not only carried the offense but set the tone defensively.
Andrej Stojakovic put on a show tonight in Champaign 🤩
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 12, 2025
23 points in 26 minutes off the bench 🔥 @IlliniMBB pic.twitter.com/CrVUtWnkR7
“He’s got that scorer’s feel that knack you can’t coach,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “But what really stood out tonight was his toughness on the defensive end.”
Every time Texas Tech surged, Stojakovic answered either with a midrange jumper, a hard drive to the rim, or a stop on the other end. Despite limited conditioning, he looked comfortable creating contact, finishing through traffic, and defending multiple positions.
Stojakovic's offensive and defensive skills gave Illinois something it lacked last season, which is a late-game closer.
If Stojakovic’s arrival could elevate the Illini into national contention, it might mark the start of a new legacy in Champaign.
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