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Illinois Basketball: 5 observations from the Illini win over ETSU

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - DECEMBER 15: Teams stand during the National Anthem before the first meeting between ETSU Bucs and University of Illinois Fighting Illini, Saturday, December 15, 2018, State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by David Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - DECEMBER 15: Teams stand during the National Anthem before the first meeting between ETSU Bucs and University of Illinois Fighting Illini, Saturday, December 15, 2018, State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by David Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – DECEMBER 15: Illinois Fighting Illini Head Coach Brad Underwood shouts across the court during the college basketball game between the East Tennessee State Univeristy Buccaneers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on December 15, 2018, at State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The Illinois basketball team was able to get their fourth win of the season on Saturday with a pummeling of the East Tennessee State Buccaneers.

This game started well for the Illini and didn’t really change from there. ETSU started with a dunk but that is the only lead they would have. Kipper Nichols started the scoring for the Illini with a three-pointer to take a 3-2 lead. That would be the last time the Illini would have to sweat having the lead.

Illinois went on a 12-0 run to bring the score to 12-2 before ETSU made a few free throws. ETSU was able to get to the free throw line again and brought the score back to 15-5 in favor of the Illini. That is when Illinois went on another big run. The Illini rambled off 14 points in a row to increase their lead to 29-5 with 9:24 left in the half. Illinois was able to get the lead up to 30 points, but ETSU got the score back to 43-18 at halftime.

ETSU fought hard in the second half of the game. Illinois had a 25-point lead at halftime but that narrowed down. ETSU was able to get the lead down 18 points less than three minutes into the second half. A few big three-pointers by Da’Monte Williams and Trent Frazier helped get the lead back up, though.

I really didn’t sweat this game even when ETSU would go on a run. Illinois played well and finished with a 73-55 win over the Buccaneers.

Here are five observations from the Illini win over ETSU.

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