No. 11 Illinois (22-7, 13-5) will face Oregon (11-18, 4-14) in its final home game of the regular season. The Illini prepare to get back to their winning ways after two straight losses in Big Ten play to the UCLA Bruins (19-10, 11-7) and the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines (27-2, 17-1). 

However, it will be an emotional night for the Illini on Tuesday. The final home game will feature a senior night celebration for senior guard Kylan Boswell, graduate student forward Ben Humrichous, senior guard AJ Redd and numerous managers also on the staff. Even with emotions flying high, Illinois must be prepared for Oregon to come into town, as seeding in both the Big Ten tournament and the NCAA tournament is determined by these final regular-season games.

“I want them to have the home that is Illinois basketball and the University of Illinois,” said head coach Brad Underwood. “You know, two of those three are going to go play as long as they want to play. AJ Redd’s going to work for Larry Gies and his company with a degree in finance out of our school of business, and to me, that’s what this is about. It’s why I got into this, to see young guys grow and then to try to create an environment where home is what you make it.” 

Winning starts on defense 

Even if the Illini’s shooting percentages weren’t as high as they normally are against the Wolverines on Friday, that wasn’t the driving force behind the loss. What allowed Michigan to go on a 16-2 run halfway through the second half was Illinois’ lack of competitiveness on the defensive end and its lapses that let Michigan’s front court score efficiently in the paint. 

While there have been wrinkles added to the Illini’s defense this season, such as playing a bit more zone defense than in years past, simplifying their defensive scheme is the focus going into Tuesday’s matchup. Going back to the basic principles of taking away 2-point shots, contesting attempts at the rim and blocking out consistently is the priority for Illinois to step up its defense once again. 

“Everybody knows how good we are offensively,” Boswell said. “But, we were winning games with our defense and not allowing teams to score.” 

As one of the biggest teams in the country with two 7-footers at its disposal, Illinois didn’t keep Michigan off the offensive glass on Friday. It allowed Michigan to grab 11 offensive rebounds and score 22 second-chance points off of them. Although the Wolverines’ frontline is difficult to block out and is active on the boards, that’s no excuse for the Illini not matching that effort on the defensive glass themselves. 

Outside of freshman forward David Mirković, who grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds, no other Illinois player showed up on the glass on either end of the floor. Mirković’s counterparts in the Illini’s front court, junior centers Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivišić, recorded a combined four rebounds in the contest. However, all of those came from Tomislav. Normally the tallest players on the floor, the Ivišić twins must increase their desire to block out and rebound. This will help the Illini get back to the high-level defense that fueled their 12-game winning streak just a month ago.  

“We’re the biggest team in the country,” Underwood said. “We’ve got to use that length and size and contest shots better … Those things are huge for us. So, simple is better.”

Another Illini that Underwood noted he wants to see bring more intensity and energy on the defensive end, as he did early this season, is junior wing Andrej Stojaković. After coming back from a high ankle sprain in the win over USC and scoring 22 points in the matchup, Stojaković has struggled in Illinois’ last two losses on both ends. Against Michigan, Stojaković scored 0 points in just 12 minutes on the floor and recorded one rebound. For Stojaković to earn his place on the floor once again, he can’t be solely a scorer. He needs to be the active defender and rebounder he was pre-injury. Underwood saw that in practice the last few days. 

“He’s been absolutely phenomenal in practice,” Underwood said. “I think he’s also the healthiest he has been in quite some time … Excited for that because there’s no doubt we need him on both sides.”

There’s no doubt that Illinois will need its complete lineup to be ready to show up defensively against Oregon on Tuesday. The Ducks have three players on their roster who have grabbed 50 or more offensive rebounds this season, and the Illini can’t be content letting them crash the glass. 

Illinois’ frontline needs to be ready to defend senior center Nate Bittle, as he is Oregon’s leading scorer, averaging 17 points per game, and is the focal point of Oregon’s offense. Whether it is through traditional post-ups, pick and pop threes or second-chance offensive rebounds, Bittle impacts the Ducks’ offense in multiple facets, and the Illini can’t let him be comfortable. 

“(The Ducks) got one of the best bigs in college basketball,” Underwood said. “They’re a team that likes to play through (Bittle). They’ll play extremely hard … We’ll have to play with physicality. They’re big with Bittle, (Kwame) Evans (Jr.) and (Sean) Stewart in the starting lineup.”

Senior night for Boswell, Humrichous, Redd 

As Tuesday night is the last home game of the season, it will also be a celebration for the three Illini seniors. Boswell, Humrichous and Redd, as well as the senior managers who are a part of the program, will be celebrated before tipoff. In an era where the portal has become increasingly more mainstream year after year, each of Illinois’ seniors has spent multiple years in Champaign and has played a pivotal role in the success of this year’s squad so far. 

As Underwood mentioned, upon graduation, Redd plans on working for Madison Industries, Gies’ company that he is the founder and CEO of, as a financial analyst with the medical division. At Illinois, Redd started as a manager with the program, most notably rebounding for Terrence Shannon Jr. at 4:30 a.m., then earning a roster spot as a walk-on. Although this season will mark the end of Redd’s basketball career, he is proud of the journey he has had as an Illini. 

“As I look back on my journey, just how hard I’ve worked and how much I’ve put into this game, it’s a stopping point where I’m content with just my journey and the successes I’ve been able to have playing basketball,” Redd said. “Being able to play at a level like this has been a dream come true for me.”

For Humrichous, this isn’t his first rodeo with an Illinois basketball senior night. Humrichous went through the Senior Night ceremony last season before ultimately deciding to return to the Illini for his final season of college basketball. His development from year one to year two is one of the X-factors that has led to Illinois’ success this season. Humrichous has developed into more than just a 3-point shooter in his second year. He has improved on the defensive end as a perimeter defender and rebounder with a winning mentality.

“When I came back, I just wanted to pick up whatever it took to win, winning attributes,” Humrichous said. “I feel like in my two years here, one of the keys is learning how to win and then learning what winning is on and off the court. I think that’s been the biggest part of my growth, about finding what’s important and then dedicating yourself to being great at that.”

For the final senior on the Illini roster, it will be a hometown celebration on Tuesday night. When Boswell transferred to Illinois from Arizona, he brought leadership, dedication and toughness to a nearly brand new team for everyone involved last season. He hasn’t missed a beat in holding himself to those standards this year as well, even when he was sidelined with an injury. While it will be the last time fans erupt hearing, “From Champaign,” at State Farm Center during the starting lineups on Tuesday, Boswell’s impact on the Illinois basketball program won’t be forgotten. 

“I feel like I’ve tried my best to get better as a person and as a basketball player, of course,” Boswell said. “But, the young guys I’ve had under my wing since I’ve gotten here, trying to help them, mold them, into whoever the best version of (themselves) can be. I think coach Brad has done the same exact thing for me.”

@evy_york2 

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