Despite (or maybe because of) their unpredictability, the Illini went back to some old standbys to best the Wildcats on Sunday

Illinois knocked off Northwestern in a college basketball game Sunday. Full recap, game highlights from Champaign, Illinois.

Kylan Boswell scored 17 points and had six rebounds to lead No. 17 Illinois over Northwestern, 83-74, a Big Ten matchup on Sunday. Morez Johnson Jr. had 15 points, nine

The Illini crashed the boards and hit the floor to scrap their way to an 83-74 win over the Wildcats in Champaign

It was the Illini's ninth straight win at State Farm Center against the Wildcats, who haven't swept a season series since 1966.

Kylan Boswell scored 17 points and had six rebounds to lead No. 17 Illinois over Northwestern 83-74 on Sunday.

Kylan Boswell scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures as No. 17 Illinois rolled to an 83-74 Big Ten victory over Northwestern Sunday afternoon in Champaign, Ill.

Unranked Northwestern heads to Champaign to face #17 Illinois on Sunday afternoon. Keep reading for our Northwestern vs. Illinois prediction.

No. 17 Illinois takes on the Northwestern Wildcats after Kasparas Jakucionis scored 21 points in Illinois' 91-70 loss to the Maryland Terrapins

Northwestern hasn't won at Illinois since January 2013 -- two months before Chris Collins became the Wildcats' head coach. Collins has led Northwestern to the first three NCAA Tournament appearances

BOTTOM LINE: Northwestern visits No. 17 Illinois after Ty Berry scored 23 points in Northwestern's 79-70 win against the Indiana Hoosiers. The Fighting Illini have gone 8-3 at home. Illinois leads college basketball with 30.0 defensive rebounds per game led by Tomislav Ivisic averaging 6.5.

Illinois men's basketball is looking to avoid a three game losing streak as they welcome Northwestern to the State Farm Center Sunday Jan. 26.