Stojakovic stars as bench piece while Illinois cruises to a Sweet Sixteen berth
Starter or not, Andrej Stojakovic can get you a bucket.
Mar 21, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) dunks the ball during the second half against the VCU Rams during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Andrej Stojakovic came to Illinois as one of the most highly-touted transfers in the country. The former McDonald’s All-American averaged 17.
9 points per game as a sophomore at Cal last season before hitting the portal and coming to Champaign. An ankle injury during Big Ten play played a part in Stojakovic coming off the bench for the final few weeks of the season. Despite not hearing his name called during pregame intros, Stojakovic made sure the college basketball world felt his presence against VCU in the Round of 32.
In 26 minutes off the bench, the slashing wing tallied a team-high 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the field. He knocked down seven of his nine free throws as well. It’s his eighth game of 20 or more points as an Illini.
Andrej Stojakovic off the bench to send Illinois to the Sweet 16: 21 PTS | 7-12 FG | 26 MINS pic. twitter. com/fXbI4Z5ekf — B/R Hoops (@brhoops) March 22, 2026 “Dre’s just found a niche,” Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said.