When Zvonimir Ivisic transferred to Illinois this season, joining Tomislav Ivisic, the move raised the question: How would the twins, who measure 7-foot-2 and 7-1 respectively, fare on the same team?
So far, the tandem has been a success. Coming off their most productive performance this season, the Ivisic brothers will lead No. 11 Illinois (15-3, 6-1 Big Ten) — riding a seven-game winning streak — against Maryland (8-10, 1-6) in a Big Ten game in Champaign, Ill., on Wednesday night.
The Croatian twins are rarely in the lineup together, but they give coach Brad Underwood the rare ability to always have a fresh, skilled 7-footer on the floor.
Starter Tomislav provides averages of 10.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, averaging 23.4 minutes, while Zvonimir chips in with 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks off the bench in 17.0 minutes.
“Not many people have that. You bring in one of the elite defenders in college basketball,” Underwood said of Zvonimir, who opened his career at Kentucky, then followed coach John Calipari last season to Arkansas.
“He’s experienced. He’s been there, done that. He sees the game. He knows the game,” Underwood added of Zvonimir. “It’s a luxury.”
In an otherwise lackluster 77-67 win Saturday at home over Minnesota, Zvonimir produced 18 points, nine rebounds, three blocks and two steals in 18 efficient minutes.
Including Tomislav’s 10 points and seven rebounds, the brothers scored their combined season-high (28 points) and matched their combined high in rebounds (16).
The twins also are among seven Illini players who have made at least 21 triples, with their success rates nearly identical at 36.9% for Tomislav and 36.8% for Zvonimir.
While the brothers team in the frontcourt with David Mirkovic (12.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg), perimeter firepower comes from the team’s leading scorer, Keaton Wagler (16.1 ppg).
Kylan Boswell is second at (14.3 ppg), but the starting guard suffered a bone fracture in his right hand during practice Monday and is expected to be out until mid-February, Underwood said Tuesday.
Against Maryland, Illinois could be without another threat, Andrej Stojakovic (13.5 ppg), who limped off the floor late in the win over Minnesota after scoring the 1,000th point of his college career.
The mission for the Illini on Wednesday will be to corral the Terrapins’ David Coit, who has totaled 73 points in his past two games, including a career-high 43 Sunday in a 96-73 victory over Penn State.
Coit did it with a mixture of drives to the hoop and step-back jumpers from the perimeter as he matched the program record with nine 3-pointers.
“He has video-game tendencies,” Maryland coach Buzz Williams said of Coit, who has been in and out of the starting lineup this season.
“He has an ability to score at his size that’s uncommon,” Williams added about the 5-foot-11 Coit. “His ability to make shots, particularly off the dribble, is rare.”
The win was just the second in the last nine games for Maryland, which outrebounded taller Penn State 39-21 behind Solomon Washington (11 rebounds, six points).
The Terrapins made 54.1% of their shots from the field, including 18 of 34 (52.9%) from deep.
Williams tried a unique strategy at halftime against the Nittany Lions, taking his team to a loading dock adjacent to the court instead of to the locker room.
“Sometimes, my belief, change of pace, change of place, equals change of perspective,” Williams said.
–Field Level Media
