Illinois utilized its big men today.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Carrying a six-game win streak and all the momentum in the world, head coach Brad Underwood and the Illini prevailed in their first game at State Farm Center in 11 days to make it seven straight victories for this squad and nine wins in a row against the Gophers.
After big man Zvonimir Ivisic took advantage of Minnesota’s height in the first half, Illinois were able to pull away from the Gophers in the second after shooting 57% from beyond the arc having made just five of their 21 threes in the first half, leading them to a 77-67 victory that saw seven lead changes. Big Z’s first half off the bench consisted of 13 points, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals, and he finished with a total of 18 points and nine rebounds.
In the first 20 minutes, Illinois was able to take care of one of the leading scorers in the nation in Minnesota forward Cade Tyson. But the Gophers didn’t back down. Their next man up, junior forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, knocked down five threes and 20 points in the first half. Tyson picked it up in the second half, tallying 15 points after scoring just four in the first half.
Minnesota’s constant defensive changes, switching back-and-forth from zone defense to man-to-man defense, gave Illinois some trouble on the offensive end in the first half. But Brad Underwood’s squad is built on a few key principles: Second-chance points, rebounds and disciplined defense. Those same principles are what helped Illinois stay efficient before the shooting percentage started to pick up. Having been out-rebounded only once this entire season, the Illini continued that trend and won the rebound battle 42-31.
KenPom’s #3 ranked Illinois offense didn’t look like a top five offense in the first half, but came out firing in the second, making eight of their 14 shots from deep. Freshman forward David Mirkovic and veteran forward Tomislav Ivisic played a big part in the Illini’s offensive success to close out the game, as all of their combined 22 points came in the second half.
Category: General Sports
