Illinois (7-2, 1-1) defeated No. 20 Wisconsin (8-3, 0-2) on Tuesday night, 86-80. It was a competitive game for the full 40 minutes, but Illinois left with its first conference victory of the season.
A Tre White kind of night
From the very beginning of Tuesday’s 8:00 p.m. tip, junior guard Tre White was the man. He was both the offensive and hustle catalyst for the Illini in the first half, leading the way with 14 points and three offensive boards.
There might as well have been five clones of White out there for Illinois. He knocked down two threes, scored two and-one buckets and was in the middle of every scrum on the hardwood for loose balls.
He also picked up some of the defensive slack when junior guard Kylan Boswell went to the bench. Graduate guard John Tonje was as dangerous of a scorer as anyone on the floor, and White had a couple of solid possessions, slowing the Badgers down. He set the tone all game for the Illini and led them to a win with an Illinois career-high of 23 points while adding eight rebounds.
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Second chances
Illinois led by four at the break, and offensive rebounds were a big reason why. They secured nine in the opening 20 minutes and relentlessly searched for more. Three different players racked up fouls while attempting to hit the glass.
It wasn’t just one guy, either. Seven Illini grabbed offensive boards in a rebound effort following the Northwestern loss on Friday. Head coach Brad Underwood made offensive rebounding a point of emphasis following the Big Ten opener, and the roster listened and responded in a big way.
Ticky tack
Tuesday night featured a strangely officiated game, to say the least. It didn’t seem to favor any team, for the most part, but neither squad could play the tough, physical Big Ten brand of basketball that fans have come to love. Whistles followed very little contact and left players in red and white uniforms with their hands in the air, especially when Illinois entered the bonus just five minutes and 18 seconds into the second half.
While the calls were dispersed and the Illini avoided individual foul trouble, the Badgers got free points early. The officiating may have ended up helping Illinois down the stretch, as it brought the crowd to their feet early in the second half and kept them alive all game long.
Home court advantage
The crowd of 15,000 was raucous for the Big Ten home opener. They truly made a difference and, at times, made it impossible to hear a whistle on the floor. After disagreeing with several calls early in the second half, the entirety of the State Farm Center seemed locked onto every single play.
Their initial outburst, which included plenty of profane language, was rewarded with a 7-0 Illini run. A Badger timeout couldn’t stop them at that point, and the Illini led the rest of the way.
Other notes
Led by Boswell, Illinois guarded Tonje extremely well. The two-time transfer finished with a misleading 14 points after shooting just 5-15 from the floor and 2-7 from long range. He also had four turnovers in the loss. The Illini’s hometown hero has earned his reputation early on as a lockdown guy, and he hasn’t been beaten in a game yet.
Boswell also brought some offense against the Badgers. The junior has adjusted nicely to this new offensive system, bringing plenty of intensity. He can constantly be seen screaming and is fired up on the floor, especially after multiple baskets that contributed to a 19-point, four-rebound and six-assist night.
Offensively, freshman guard Kasparas Jakučionis went back to work. It took a couple of games, but the Lithuanian has settled into the Division I game and looks very comfortable now. He finished with 24 points scored.
His entire repertoire was on display, from his high-arching threes to his hesitation-filled drives. Jakucionis added six rebounds and five assists as he continued to stuff the stat sheet.
If there’s one thing about shooters, they can be hot and cold. The beginning of graduate forward Ben Humrichous’ Big Ten career has left a lot to be desired. He followed a 1-9 shooting performance in Evanston with a 1-5 night.
Missing shots isn’t the worst thing in the world — it happens. But the shot selection has been questionable. Most attempts have been quick, deep and contested, but some aren’t close to falling. Illinois would like it to be a two-game slump, as it won’t be able to afford another off-game in its next matchup.
Up next
The best team in the nation visits Champaign on Saturday for an all-orange battle. No. 1 Tennessee (9-0) hasn’t played in a single-digit contest this season and will present a younger Illinois with its toughest test yet.
@benfader7
