After a rough loss to No. 5 UConn (7-1) a little over a week ago, No. 14 Illinois (6-2) hits the road once again for its last non-conference, neutral site matchup with No. 13 Tennessee (7-1) in Nashville. Securing this victory is crucial for the Illini to get back on the winning track before starting Big Ten conference play next week.
A full week of practice heading into this critical game was necessary for head coach Brad Underwood and his team. This gave the Illini the opportunity to make the necessary adjustments heading into this final non-conference test. However, redshirt freshman forward Jason Jakstys will be out on Saturday after sustaining a concussion during practice this week.
“It was a pretty tough week,” junior center Tomislav Ivišić said. “I feel like we needed to know that … there won’t be any more easy games.”
Finding consistency
From the season’s opening tip, Illinois’ offense was its strength. Its depth in multiple positions and diverse skillsets gave Illinois plenty of ways to score, with its forwards who stretch the floor and guards that get downhill. However, if the Illini proved anything in their second loss of the year to the Huskies, it was that their offense was far from perfect.
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Illinois was stuck in a complete 40-minute shooting slump at the Garden, shooting 31.7% from the field and 20.7% from three-point range. Two of the Illini’s top-scorers, junior wing Andrej Stojaković and freshman forward David Mirković, also didn’t score a field-goal in the second half. When its opponent shot noticeably higher percentages in both categories, 41.3% from the field and 35.7% from three, Illinois didn’t stand a chance.
“We were 13 for 31 on twos,” Underwood said. “We’re one of the top two-point teams in the country. A lot of layups missed. I blame a lot of that on fatigue, just mentally not tough enough.”
To improve, the Illini need to start finding consistency on offense, and fast. Although senior guard Kylan Boswell played another efficient game with 25 points on 8/16 shooting, he can’t be the only consistent contributor. Other players need to lead the Illini when the lights are bright and mirror Boswell’s dependability on the court.
“We’ve got to get everybody on the same page,” Underwood said. “We’ve got to get Mirk (Mirković) and Keaton (Wagler) and Andrej and Kylan, all those guys playing well together. Not just one at a time. We’ve really tried to work through that process and find some consistency on that end.”
Stojaković has been an asset for the Illini because of his offensive efficiency, but against the Huskies, he didn’t show up in the crucial moments. The junior went 1/7 from the field for only three points, a season-low for him. On the other hand, Mirković started the matchup strong with six early points, but his three-point struggles became an issue and he landed on the bench for most of the second half.
Both Stojaković and Mirković have to step up and perform for Illinois to compete with Tennessee. The pair each showed moments so far where they can carry this team offensively, but it needs to become more consistent. Without their scoring abilities, the Illini will continue to struggle against high caliber opponents.
Ivišić is another Illini who is crucial to Saturday’s game. After a slow start coming back from injury, Ivišić is starting to settle in. He had 11 points and 10 rebounds in the matchup with UConn, grabbing eight of those rebounds in the second half. Illinois will need a complete performance from Ivišić on Saturday against Tennessee’s tough interior defense.
“They’ve got good bigs,” Ivišić said. “Athletic bigs, rim protectors. It’s going to be very important to space the floor, be physical with them and not allow them rebounds. Just smart decisions around the paint.”
Playing through pressure
Through its first eight games, Tennessee held their opponents to an average of 65 points in each matchup. This is due to its ball pressure which creates turnovers for its opponents and causes them to struggle shooting from three. The Volunteers’ forced opposing teams into 13.1 turnovers per game and held them to 28.5% three-point shooting.
Right now, Illinois is averaging 10.3 turnovers per game. Against Tennessee’s defense, handling ball pressure and making smart passes will need to be a point of emphasis. While driving to the basket is a huge part of the Illini’s offensive scheme, the Volunteers’ perimeter defense will make that harder to execute if the Illini don’t play tough and take care of the ball.
Improving its three-point shooting from its previous game will be a difficult task for Illinois against Tennessee. The Illini have proved this season that they can be patient on the offensive end and search for the best shot possible, thanks to their depth. Moving the ball consistently will help Illinois break down Tennessee’s defense and find open three-pointers.
“You’ve got to move the ball,” Underwood said. “You let them (the Volunteers) get into their shell and get into their gaps. Their length is very imposing … You’ve got to be very, very unselfish.”
New additions for Tennessee
Although Illinois faced Tennessee during the 2024-25 season, it isn’t the same Tennessee team it played about a year ago. The Volunteers added new players to their roster both from the transfer portal and its freshman class who are making an impact.
Senior guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie transferred to Tennessee from Maryland and quickly turned into Tennessee’s leading scorer. Gillespie is averaging 17.6 points per game, an improvement from last season, and shooting 43.1% from the field. He also leads the Volunteers with 49 assists so far. Illinois needs to limit Gillespie’s ability to run Tennessee’s offense and force the ball out of his hands.
Gillespie’s partner-in-crime on offense is freshman forward Nate Ament. The 6-foot-11 freshman has quickly become one of the country’s top players because of his length and complete skillset. Ament is a threat anywhere on the offensive end. He can attack the basket through contact and get to the free throw line effectively, shooting 70 free-throws already this season. Ament also is shooting 31% from three, meaning he is a player that can stretch the floor for drivers like Gillespie.
“He’s got a lot of Will Riley type ability,” Underwood said.
The Illini will have their hands full defending Ament. His unique skillset is difficult to combat against and limit. The key for slowing him down will be keeping him away from the free-throw line and crashing the offensive glass.
“It’s the school yard brawl mentality,” Underwood said. “You’ve got to have that and be ready to go to war against a team like Tennessee.”
@evy_york2
