By Illini Guys Staff

November 19, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHICAGO, Ill. - Labaron Philon scored 10 of his team-high 24 points in the final two and a half minutes as 11th ranked Alabama kept No. 8 Illinois at bay to score a 90-86 upset Wednesday night.

The loss spoiled the Illini's first regular season game at United Center since 2018 and it kept them from recording a second win over a Top 25 team in November for the first time in program history.

Andrej Stojakovic scored a season-high 26 points, scoring all 14 of his second half points in the final 10 minutes after Illinois had fallen behind by nine. Illinois (4-1) missed 14 of its first 17 shots after halftime to allow the Crimson Tide to take their first lead of the game and expand it.

Kylan Boswell scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half as he and Stojakovic combined for 36 of the Illini's 44 points after halftime.

David Mirkovic, fresh off being named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the second week in a row, posted his four double-double in five games with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Ben Humrichous scored 11 points off the bench.

The game marked the much-anticipated debut of Mihailo Petrovic. The point guard from Serbia missed the first four games of the season with a hamstring injury but drained a three-point jumper just moments into the game and finished with a team-high five assists in only 12 minutes on the court. Tomislav Ivisic also saw his first action since the season opener due to a lower body injury. He scored three points and grabbed three rebounds in 14 minutes.

Illinois pulled within three minutes several times down the stretch, but couldn't make a stop on the defensive end as Alabama hit four of five field goals attempts and eight of ten from the line to finish off the victory.

The Illini won the rebounding battle 40-38 and outscored the Tide by 10 points in the paint, but missed 9 of 22 free throws to open the door for Alabama.

Illinois returns to action Saturday against Long Island (1:00pm CT, BTN Plus).

Stay with IlliniGuys.com for complete postgame coverage.