Illinois Freshman Duo Shines in Opening Win

Will Riley and Kasparas Jakucionis shined in the Fighting Illini’s opening win.

Nov 4, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Will Riley (7) reacts after scoring during the second half against the Eastern Illinois Panthers at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

In a 112-67 rout of in-state rival Eastern Illinois on Monday, the Illinois Fighting Illini were able to showcase two of their talented new additions to the hardwood.

Will Riley was undoubtedly the star of the night. A former five-star and top-10 recruit, he was one of the highest-ranked recruits in the program’s history. And he backed that up on Monday night.

In 25 minutes off the bench, Riley poured on 31 points on a blistering 10-for-13 shooting, hitting five of his six attempted triples and hitting all but one of his seven free throw attempts. He was a man possessed offensively, hitting three after three and still managing to add seven rebounds, three assists and a block.

Most simply, Riley looked like a bona fide lottery pick at 6-foot-8. But he wasn’t the only Illinois freshman to see success.

Kasparas Jakucionis, a 6-foot-6 guard-wing hybrid hailing from Lithuania, posted 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds from the starting lineup, shooting 75% overall and 50% from beyond the arc.

While his numbers weren’t nearly as flashy as Riley’s, he’s likely still the team’s top draft prospect at this point in time, just based off his skillset. Jumbo guards with connective passing ability are simply more coveted in the league, despite Riley’s potential prowess as a scorer.

Regardless, the Fighting Illini seem to be in great shape with both leading the charge so far. Both will have a great chance at becoming lottery picks in the stacked 2025 NBA Draft, should they keep up their dominant play.

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