Illinois (3-1) grabbed an electric win against Murray State (2-2) earlier this week to boost its confidence after a tough road loss to Oregon State (4-0). The Illini came out on top against the Racers 84-64 in their annual Field Trip Day game Tuesday.

Sunday brings the Illini’s second road trip of the year, this time against the Florida State Seminoles (3-2). 

“If we can learn to win because of one failure, you learn from it,” said head coach Shauna Green. “It’s part of growth. It’s part of basketball.”

While Green said that losing is part of the experience — as much as she “hates” losing —  one can hope the Illini learned from their loss against the Beavers. Like any matchup, there is a set of challenges and benefits the Illini have going to Tallahassee.

Challenge 1: Fewer games thus far

Florida State heads into its matchup against Illinois with six games. The Illini head into the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center with only four games under their belt. 

The Seminoles have a huge advantage over the Illini with these two extra games. Florida State has also already played the No. 1 team in the country: UConn (4-0).

The Illini have not experienced anything of this caliber thus far. Florida State, however, knows what it’s like to play against the number one team. The Seminoles’ experience against the Huskies poses a challenge for the Illini, as they have seen firsthand what it means to be up against greatness.

While the Seminoles suffered a 32-point loss to the Huskies, the experience that comes from playing the number one program in the country is still a learning experience that the Illini do not have. 

“It’s no fun to go and play a team that you blow out,” Green said. “We need to be tested, we need to play good teams. We need different styles.”

Florida State poses just the challenge Illinois needs to toughen up on the road and gain experience against a Power Four conference program. 

Challenge 2: Playing on the road

The Illini’s first taste of playing on the road, against the Beavers, did not end well. Oregon State took charge of Illinois and won 64-59.

“We got to go back on the road to play a tough Florida State team with a young team,” Green said. “We’re on the road two times in the first two weeks, but it’ll be a good test, and we’ll see what happens.”

The Illini had a rough go of things in the Pacific Northwest. Nearly everyone struggled across the board. 

Junior guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger struggled against the Beavers. She played 25 minutes while attempting just one shot. Junior guard Maddie Webber also seemed to struggle against Oregon State. Coming off the bench, she played 14 minutes and also scored zero points.

Freshman guard Destiny Jackson also had a lackluster performance. She had five points, rebounds and fouls. Those five fouls ended her night right at the end of the fourth quarter.

“It’s a game that we should’ve won and could’ve won,” Green said.

While the Illini could have won that game, a lot of their players had better performances on Tuesday. If they continue to ride that momentum, the Illini will head to Florida looking much more confident and cohesive for an away game.

Benefit 1: Starting point guard confidence 

Jackson provides depth to the team as a rookie. Her ability to be the starting point guard despite her age is an enormous benefit for the Illini. 

“Destiny’s done a great job of running the point as a freshman,” Green said

In the first three games of the season, Jackson shot 40%, 28.6% and 20%, respectively. All of these percentages clearly showed that she had room to improve. 

She came back after Oregon State and shot 75%, making six out of her eight attempts against Murray State.

She had a breakthrough performance against Murray State, racking up 18 points, five assists and four rebounds in her 32 minutes on the court. 

Jackson’s desire to learn more and be a better player is one of the best things she brings to the team. 

During Tuesday’s postgame press conference, Green recalled a memory with Jackson during the first game that she said really showed her maturity level. 

“Destiny doesn’t know what the hell I have on the board,” Green said. “She comes up after the timeout, and she’s like, ‘Coach … is this what you meant? What do you want me (in)?’”

Jackson’s ability to slot in as starting point guard, ask questions and her clear joy out on the court are only three of the ways she contributes to the team.

Benefit 2: Versatility of the bench

“(A) big thing that I’m happy about is our bench,” Green said. “Twenty-three points off the bench to 12 (Murray State’s bench points). We did not have that at Oregon State, and that is an absolute game-changer for us. We have the depth, and (I’m) really proud of how they were ready to go when their name was called.”

After the bench only scored five points against Oregon State, the unit stepped it up against Murray State on Tuesday. 

Green played eight players from her bench, and four really showed their ability to be ready when it was their time to sub in. 

Webber and sophomore guard Aaliyah Guyton each played 21 minutes, the most for anyone coming off the bench. They scored a combined 19 points, making up over 22% of the Illini’s scoring on Tuesday. 

“That was great to play with Aaliyah,” Jackson said. “We always talk about when we’re on the court (together), a lot of good things can happen.”

“Good things” did happen with the dynamic duo of Jackson and Guyton. The pair played together with great chemistry, and their fast playing style, along with their agility, allowed them to score 18 and 12 points, respectively.

Sophomore forward Irene Noya Catoira and redshirt sophomore center Lety Vasconcelos each also saw some playing time. They each scored two points and collected two rebounds.

Despite not scoring the most points, both Noya Catoira and Vasconcelos were ready to go and reliable on the court.

“(I) could not be more happy with Irene and her readiness,” Green said. 

If Green’s team continues to be ready and improve on their mistakes, it could make the challenges less apparent going into Florida State. 

Tipoff for the Illini is set for 1 p.m. CST Sunday. 

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