The No. 11 Illinois Fighting Illini upset the No. 4 Purdue Boilermakers in an 88-82 victory on Saturday afternoon, led by an incredible 46-point performance from freshman guard Keaton Wagler. During postgame media sessions, Illinois players were full of wild quotes, including freshman big man David Mirkovic.

Mirkovic was considered questionable to play in Saturday’s game due to an ankle injury, but he went on to play and was a big part of Illinois’ success, scoring 12 points and pulling down eight rebounds in the victory.

The freshman from Montenegro made it clear to the media postgame that he was going to do everything possible to play in the game, and he explained that being inactive for a Fighting Illini loss on Saturday would have left him quite distraught.

“If we lost today, and I wasn’t playing, I would kill myself probably. I had that thought.”

“If we lost today and I wasn’t playing I would kill myself probably.”

David Mirkovic on his decision to play after being listed as questionable with an ankle injury: pic.twitter.com/bA8o4rSe7G

— Glenn Kinley (@glenn_kinley) January 24, 2026

Sheesh. While the competitiveness is extremely admirable and says a lot about why Mirkovic is averaging 12 points and eight rebounds as a freshman, some would say that mindset is a touch extreme. You can be sure Illinois head coach Brad Underwood loves it, though.

Mirkovic added that he didn’t sleep on Friday night much due to “sharp pain” in his ankle.

“Coach (Underwood) came to me at breakfast and said adrenaline is the best drug,” Mirkovic added. “When you come out there and see 14,000 drunk fans cussing at you, you’re gonna be good.”

More from David Mirkovic on his status today, saying he didn’t get much sleep last night and woke up with sharp pain.

“Coach came to me at breakfast and said adrenaline is the best drug. When you come out there and see 14,000 drunk fans cussing at you, you’re gonna be good.” pic.twitter.com/4oiXrwssvu

— Glenn Kinley (@glenn_kinley) January 24, 2026

Mirkovic also explained the emotions that he had in the postgame celebration.

David Mirkovic: “After buzzer I was just screaming for straight seven minutes. I was just screaming.”

He says he was throwing chairs in the locker room. I asked a follow up.

“Yeah… I had so much energy. I was throwing chairs. Broke the board the manager had. That’s my way to… pic.twitter.com/4rZcs3VDZn

— Glenn Kinley (@glenn_kinley) January 24, 2026

“After the buzzer, I was just screaming for straight seven minutes,” Mirkovic said. “I was just screaming. I lost so much energy. Even in the locker room, I started throwing chairs. I just sat on my chair, like, dying. I was just screaming for like seven minutes straight. It was good.”

“Yeah, I had so much energy when I came to the locker room,” Mirkovic continued. “I was just throwing chairs. Broke the board that the manager had. I just had so much energy. That’s my way to celebrate, to express that energy.”