Illinois defeated No. 19 Arkansas 90-77 on Thursday in Kansas City behind a balanced scoring effort and combined 61 points from Tomislav Ivišić, Kylan Boswell, and Kasparas Jakučionis. The Fighting Illini never trailed against the Razorbacks on Thanksgiving Day to secure their first win over a ranked opponent this season.

The Illinois vs. Arkansas basketball game on Thanksgiving was the second most-watched regular-season college basketball game since 2008.

Nov 28, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kylan Boswell (4) shoots the ball during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images / William Purnell-Imagn Images

Illinois showed that they are once again a legit threat in the Big Ten with this victory. Arkansas is expected to be a solid team this season, and the Fighting Illini made easy work of the Razorbacks on a neutral court as the two teams battled it out in Kansas City.

Illinois men’s basketball has re-entered the AP Top 25 poll following its big week, climbing all the way to No. 19. It’s the program’s second time appearing in the national rankings during the first month of the 2024-25 season.

The Illini ended their shooting slump and got several classy individual performances in Thursday's 90-77 win over Arkansas