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Illinois Basketball: 5 takeaways from the Illini loss to Nebraska

By Rees Woodcock

LINCOLN, NE - JANUARY 15: Illinois head coach Brad Underwood reacts to action on the court in the game against Nebraska during the second half of a college basketball game Monday, January 15th at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska. Nebraska defeated Illinois 64 to 63. (Photo by John Peterson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - JANUARY 15: Illinois head coach Brad Underwood reacts to action on the court in the game against Nebraska during the second half of a college basketball game Monday, January 15th at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska. Nebraska defeated Illinois 64 to 63. (Photo by John Peterson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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LINCOLN, NE – JANUARY 15: Illinois head coach Brad Underwood is yelling at Illinois guard Trent Frazier (1) for a foul during the first half of a college basketball game Monday, January 15th at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska. Nebraska defeated Illinois 64 to 63. (Photo by John Peterson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE – JANUARY 15: Illinois head coach Brad Underwood is yelling at Illinois guard Trent Frazier (1) for a foul during the first half of a college basketball game Monday, January 15th at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska. Nebraska defeated Illinois 64 to 63. (Photo by John Peterson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

1. I still have hope for the future

At the end of the game on Monday night, when Nebraska made the game-winning three-point shot, I felt something I hadn’t felt all year. A sense of helplessness flooded over me.

I sit there every game, you name the day of the week, and watch this Illini team take the court in hopes of turning around a season that is clearly lost record wise. There is no turning back now. The NCAA tournament is nowhere in sight and all we can continue to do is build.

I know this feeling in the pit of my stomach will subside soon enough. The pain will eventually go away. But, one thing I will never lose is my hope.

Illinois might have a bad record but that doesn’t make them a bad team. They are bad shooters, though, minus Trent Frazier. But, no matter how many shots are or are not falling, this Illinois team continues to fight in every game. They aren’t as far away as many people are saying. Honestly, I believe they are only a player away right now and that player might be Ayo Dosunmu.

The Illini currently have nine losses on the season. In these nine losses, they average losing those games by a total of 5.7 points per game. Three of these losses came in overtime and the one last night was only a one-point defeat on a last-second shot. No matter what anyone says, I still have hope for the future.

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