In front of a packed crowd at Madison Square Garden on Friday, No. 13 Illinois (6-2) dropped its second game of the season to No. 5 UConn (6-1), 74-61. It was the Illini’s second loss to a Top-15 opponent. A poor shooting performance made it hard for Illinois to capitalize on any opportunities it had, especially in the second half.
UConn guards start in control
The Huskies’ perimeter play helped separate them from the Illini early into the first half. Junior guard Solo Ball got off to a strong start with 13 first-half points on 5-8 shooting. This included a four-point play opportunity on a foul by Illinois freshman guard Keaton Wagler. Ball’s athleticism and ability to score in a multitude of ways made him difficult for the Illini guards to defend out of the gate, but freshman guard Brandon Lee started to contain him later on in the half.
UConn junior guard Silas Demary Jr. was also a problem for Illinois in the first 20 minutes. Demary Jr. went perfect from the field and the free-throw line for nine first-half points right behind Ball. Illinois sophomore guard Mihailo Petrović struggled to defend on the perimeter against UConn’s quicker guards, which it took advantage of.
“(Petrović) needs practice,” said Illinois head coach Brad Underwood. “He’s new to our system. It’s all new, it’s all foreign.”
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Energy from Boswell, Zvonimir keeps it close
Even with strong first-half performances from both Ball and Demary Jr., the Illini still remained within striking distance of the Huskies. This was due to an extra energy boost from senior guard Kylan Boswell on the offensive end and junior center Zvonimir Ivišić on defense.
Boswell kept the offense moving in the first half for Illinois by driving the lane, finding open 3-point shooters or dishing the ball to teammates near the rim. The senior also led the Illini in scoring in the first half with 13 points on 5-8 shooting from the field. Illinois struggled to move the ball when it wasn’t converting offensively against now No. 8 Alabama last week, and Boswell doing so against UConn was an improvement.
Boswell continued his dominance on the offensive end in the second half, finishing the contest with 25 points. When no other Illini could find a way to score, Boswell put the team on his back by continuing to attack the basket and eventually getting to the free-throw line.
“I don’t think there’s many people in the nation that’s going to stop me from getting downhill,” Boswell said.
Improving on the defensive end was a point of emphasis for Illinois after a sloppy performance in its win over UTRGV on Monday. While the defensive end wasn’t perfect on Friday, the Illini’s interior defense held the Huskies’ centers, senior Tarris Reed Jr. and freshman Eric Reibe, to a combined one point in the first half. Ivišić’s presence in the paint was a difference maker in forcing the Huskies’ strong frontcourt to struggle, a key to keeping this game close. He had three first-half blocks and ended the game with five.
Playing with more fight
While UConn shot 11 free throw attempts in the first half, Illinois only attempted three shots from the charity stripe. As a team that constantly gets downhill driving the basket, this number was uncharacteristic for the Illini. This forced them to work harder to keep the score close amidst the Huskies’ runs, including a 7-0 run with seven minutes left in the first half.
“It’s that fight,” Underwood said. “Instead of three free throws, that needed to be 12 or 13. There’s nothing like stemming the other team’s run by getting to the foul line.”
Illinois got to the free-throw line more in the second half, shooting 15-15, and helped keep UConn from pulling too far away as it found its offensive rhythm. UConn’s guards controlled the offense in the first half, but the Huskies shared the wealth more in the second with 24 bench points.
Redshirt senior guard Malachi Smith contributed 14 points and nine assists off the bench when one of UConn’s strong first-half guards sat out due to foul trouble. Smith also hit the 3-point dagger to stifle Illinois’ small late-game run which he got fouled on by Illinois junior forward Jake Davis.
“Silas (Demary Jr.) got in some foul trouble,” Smith said. “My number was called. They needed me early in the second half and also in the first half. I just want to make sure that I make plays, control the game.”
Shooting struggles plague Illini
In the second half, the Illini shot 6-26 from the field, including 2-16 from three. Over the course of 40 minutes, the team only made 6-29 of their 3-point attempts, despite getting good looks. Ivišić (0-5) and freshman forward David Mirković (0-4) both couldn’t hit a three, putting the Illini at a major disadvantage.
“We have to figure out how to win and be tough,” Underwood said. “Winning is really hard when the ball doesn’t go in.”
Three of Illinois’ key players, Ivišić, Petrović and junior wing Andrej Stojaković each ended the game 1-7 from the field. Especially for Stojaković, who has been a star for the Illini offensively, not showing up on that end of the floor will dramatically sink the team’s chances of winning.
@evy_york2
