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Illinois Basketball: 3 observations from the Illini win over Rutgers

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 11: Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) is introduced to the crowd during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 11, 2020, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 11: Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) is introduced to the crowd during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 11, 2020, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – JANUARY 11: Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood signals a play during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 11, 2020, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL – JANUARY 11: Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood signals a play during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 11, 2020, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

1. Not every win is sexy

This was an extremely ugly game for the Illinois basketball team. We didn’t play well whatsoever, but not every win is sexy.

When I say the Illini didn’t play well, I mean they played one of their worst offensive games of the season. Illinois shot 28.6-percent from the field as they went 18-of-63. They were only 14.3-percent from the three-point arc going 2-of-14. Those are really bad shooting numbers.

Illinois was beaten by Rutgers in shooting from the field and three-point arc. But that doesn’t matter when we have a defense that is suffocating and an offense that takes care of the ball. This was one of the best defensive performances from the Illini this season.

I was extremely impressed with the Illini defense. We only gave up 51 points, and Rutgers failed to shoot 38-percent from either the field, three-point arc or free throw line. We forced 11 turnovers on the day and drew 17 fouls.

While Illinois didn’t score a lot and was rather awful on the offense end, we did the other things to come away with the win. We can win ugly, and that is a sign that this team is maturing. Illinois is on the verge of doing something special this season.

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