Illinois Basketball: 5 takeaways from the Illini loss to Michigan State

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CHAMPAIGN, IL – JANUARY 22: Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts during the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Michigan State Spartans on January 22, 2018 at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The Illinois basketball team had their hardest game of the season on Monday when they took on the Michigan State Spartans.

Not many people gave the Illini a chance against the Spartans but they gave everything they had and put up a fight against the No. 6 team in the nation.

Michigan State started off with an early 6-2 lead and I wasn’t sure how the Illini would respond. But, they were punched and they punched back. The Illini tied it up a few times and even took the lead 15-11 with 12:44 left in the first half.

The Spartans weren’t going to allow that lead to stay for very long, though. The game kept close the entire first half with the Illini only down four points until Michigan State hit a three-pointer right before halftime. The Illini went into the locker room down 39-32.

Illinois didn’t start well in the second half. Michigan State increased their lead to 12 points right out of the gate. The Illini kept fighting, though. The Spartans eventually go the deficit up to 18 points but the Illini weren’t giving up. Illinois even narrowed the lead to just nine points with under a minute left in the game.

Michigan State made some free throws down the stretch and the Illini fell 87-74. This was a fun game to watch because of how hard the Illini fought. There were some things I noticed in the game as well.

Here are my five takeaways from the Illini loss to Michigan State.

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