In its Big Ten Conference opener, No. 13 Illinois (8-2, 1-0) escaped with a victory in a close, physical matchup with Ohio State (7-2, 1-1), 88-80, for its first conference win. Although Ohio State senior guard Bruce Thornton erupted for 32 points and six rebounds, the Illini’s efficiency on the offensive end was enough to outlast the Buckeyes.
“It’s like stealing gold when you come on the road in this league and get one,” said head coach Brad Underwood.
Early takeover from Thornton
As expected, Thornton presented a challenge for Illinois out of the gate. Thornton stayed perfect from the field until four minutes remained in the first half. The Buckeyes’ offense ran through Thornton as he had over half of their first half points with 24. The rest of Ohio State’s roster combined for only 18 points.
Specifically from three, Thornton was hot from the start and Illinois’ defense struggled to adjust. Thornton was 6 for 7 from beyond the arc in the first half. As Ohio State lacked depth early on, Thornton’s takeover allowed Ohio State to keep the score close.
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
“We spent a lot of time talking about Bruce and not letting him get going,” Underwood said. “He got going and there wasn’t a whole lot we could do about it. Some of those shots were deep.”
Thornton started to cool off as the second half began and his teammates picked up the slack, with three scoring in double-figures. However, with sophomore guard John Mobley Jr. and senior center Christoph Tilly in foul trouble for most of the half, it wasn’t enough to overpower the Illini.
Illini newcomers take charge
Illinois’ newcomers didn’t take long to adjust to the Big Ten, as four of them finished in double-figures. The Illini offense picked up right where they left off from their victory over the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday night. By moving the ball, Illinois played solid overall in the first half, shooting 15 for 28 from the field and 7 for 14 from three.
The trend continued in the second half and the Illinois freshmen started to show off their dominance. Freshman guard Keaton Wagler and freshman forward David Mirković weren’t slowed down by the physicality of the Big Ten, but thrived from it.
“We prepared for this,” Mirković said. “We know what is waiting for us. We worked and I think the things Coach said to us after the UConn game, it changed our mentality and the way we are thinking … We’re just going to keep growing with time.”
With senior guard Kylan Boswell on the bench for longer stretches in foul trouble, Wagler led the way for the Illini on the perimeter. Wagler scored 23 points on 6 of 11 shooting from the field including three three-pointers alongside tallying five assists. Boswell’s consistency is clearly rubbing off on Wagler. The freshman is becoming a dependable player to produce when Boswell isn’t on the floor.
“I just tried to let the game come to me, not do too much,” Wagler said. “When Kylan had two fouls in the first half and Andrej did, I thought I had to be more aggressive on the ball and I just let it happen.”
Mirković also shined in his first taste of Big Ten competition with 22 points and nine rebounds. After playing against Tennessee’s physical front court, Mirković didn’t seem fazed by Ohio State’s physicality as he finished near the basket through traffic. The freshman also showed off his versatility to stretch the floor once again, shooting 4 for 5 from three.
Junior wing Andrej Stojaković also started to make his presence known once again after a quiet last few games. Stojaković finished with 17 points on 5 of 10 shooting for his first double-digit performance in about two weeks. As Big Ten play is now underway, the Illini need consistency from Stojaković. Ohio State won’t be the last physical team Illinois sees and Stojaković’s ability to finish despite that physicality is an asset.
“(Andrej) is one of the best scorers I’ve ever seen and played with,” Wagler said. “When he gets the ball and he gets downhill, most of the time he’s going to score or get fouled. When he plays for a long period of time, especially when one of the other best scorers is out of the game, he can take over a game.”
Z comes alive
In comparison to Ohio State, Illinois used its bench to its advantage. Junior center Zvonimir Ivišić carried Illinois’ bench and was an X-factor in the matchup. With his height advantage, Ivišić scored easily in the paint, but also wasn’t afraid to shoot the three. He ended the game with 13 points and two threes in his Big Ten debut.
Ivišić’s rebounding also made a difference for the Illini as he grabbed eight defensive rebounds. As Illinois struggled to rebound against Tennessee, his effort to help the team improve upon that was important. His presence off the bench gave Illinois an extra boost of energy in moments where it needed it.
“(Zvonimir’s) gaining confidence and I’m gaining confidence with him on the court,” Underwood said.
Physicality on both sides
It was a long second half at the free-throw line for both the Buckeyes and the Illini on Tuesday night. However, a successful outing at the charity stripe kept Illinois ahead of Ohio State to eventually walk out with the victory.
“The second half turned into a Big Ten basketball game in terms of the rugged type play,” Underwood said. “But, made enough (shots) when we had to and got to the foul line.”
Illinois shot 32 free throws in the contest and made 29 of them to shoot 90.6%. Both Mirković and Stojaković each went perfect from the free-throw line, another solid aspect of their respective opening conference performances. On the flip side, Ohio State shot 71.4% from the free-throw line, putting it at a disadvantage.
This won’t be the last physical team the Illini encounter in conference play. They should expect many high-volume free throw shooting games in the future. Converting on that aspect of the offensive end was a deciding factor against Ohio State and Illinois did just that to seal the victory.
@evy_york2
