After getting back on track over the weekend, No. 18 Illinois (14-6, 6-4) travels to Lincoln, Nebraska, for a midweek Big Ten battle. The Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-8, 2-7) have struggled to start the new year and pose as a must-win game for Illinois in the second half of the season.
No Ivišić, again
Thursday will mark the third straight game that sophomore center Tomislav Ivišić has missed. The Croatian was diagnosed with mononucleosis before the Michigan State game last week. He had a relatively poor game, for his standards, in the loss.
His poor play against the Spartans — and absence since — has severely hampered the Illini. Ivišićʼs value to the team has become glaring in the last three games. The Illini have a hole in the middle of their defense, and depth has become a problem.
Freshman forward Morez Johnson Jr. is the only true big left on the roster, so when he sits or gets in foul trouble, Illinois is a very small team. The Illini also miss Ivišić on the offensive end, giving opposing defenses fewer serious threats.
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9-game series winning streak on the line
As a conference opponent, the Illini have enjoyed plenty of success against the Huskers. The visiting Illini havenʼt lost to the home team since 2018 and have won nine straight games against them since. Head coach Brad Underwood is 10-2 against Nebraska, which illustrates the dominance Illinois has enjoyed.
Big game opportunity for Jakučionis
The recent rough stretch for Nebraska has been a welcome sight to opposing guards. A starting guard in the last six games against the Cornhuskers has scored 21 or more points. It’s not a coincidence that they lost all six contests.
Freshman guard Kasparas Jakučionis has struggled since returning from injury. The Lithuanian has played a role in Illinois’ lack of continuity lately and is looking to get back on track. It’s been over two weeks since his last “good” game, but Nebraska provides an excellent opportunity to find his rhythm.
When he’s at his best, it’s hard to argue that many, if any, players in the country are better than Jakučionis. Illinois’ leading scorer still averages 15.9 points, 5.4 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game on an efficient 48.6% from the field. As February approaches, Illinois needs its star player back.
Illini on the road
Home or away hasn’t mattered much in this series, but Illinois has not been the same away from Champaign this season. A 9-3 home record is expected at the bare minimum for a program like Illinois, but the 5-3 record away from State Farm Center suggests some struggles.
Nebraska stands at No. 17 in the conference, potentially presenting Illinois with an opportunity to solve its road woes. However, there’s no easy game in the Big Ten, and without Ivišić, Illinois will need to bring its A-game.
Tipoff at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
@benfader7
