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CHAMPAIGN — It had been 11 days since Illinois felt the exhilarating rush of a win. Something that, before, seemed unfathomable, given how the team had just come off a 12-game winning streak that spanned over a month-and-a-half.

And though Indiana isn’t exactly the cream of the crop of the Big Ten, after losing two straight, with Illinois’ regular-season title hopes hanging by a thread, this one and every game beyond this one matter.

Illinois played excellent defense, holding Indiana to just 24 points in the paint, and, of course, as one of the best offenses in the country, Illinois did what it needed to do on the other side of the floor to put the finishing touches on a bounce-back win, 71-51.

Illinois was better at the small things on Sunday. It’s those fundamental things found under the nooks and crannies that often end up mattering a lot next month. Sure, sometimes they didn’t finish the rim, but against Indiana at State Farm Center on Sunday, it didn’t matter.

To help the cause came Boswell, who returned to the hardwood on Sunday afternoon after four weeks of being sidelined due to a hand fracture. But of course, the basketball giveth and they taketh away; Andrej Stojakovic — the other key guard —would be ruled out on Sunday.

Boswell’s availability provided a much-needed defensive presence on the floor. Boswell finished the night with nine points, seven rebounds, and two assists.

It’s a development that’s worth monitoring, given that it’s his second straight missed game.

Something must’ve lit a fire under David Mirkovic on Sunday morning, because by the end of Sunday afternoon’s comfortable win over Indiana, Mirkovic had scored 25, netted three assists and seven rebounds, doing just about everything in the process.

Keaton Wagler dished out another solid day with 18 points, six rebounds and three assists