Illinois Basketball: 3 observations from the Illini win over Minnesota

3. Illini defense was suffocating

The Illinois basketball team shot 33.3-percent from the field. We only made 20-percent of the three-point shots that we attempted. Minnesota also had fewer fouls than us. So, how did we win?

I think the simple answer is defense. This was the best Illinois defensive performance I have seen in a while. I know we have had some great games this year, but the entire team played amazingly on the defensive end of the court.

I would say the defensive player of the game – obviously making up an award – has to go to Da’Monte Williams. Yes, I know he hasn’t scored points in what I believe is the year 2020, but he is doing other things on the basketball court to keep him in the starting lineup.

The end of the game really stood out to me with Williams. Illinois was only up by three points and Minnesota had the ball. Williams was able to make a great steal to give the Illini the ball back. This steal led to a free throw by Ayo Dosunmu. The next possession for Minnesota resulted in Williams blocking a shot and giving Illinois the ball back. This was another big point in the game. It led to two more free throws for Ayo.

These were just two huge moments down the stretch, but the entire Illinois team was playing lockdown defense on Thursday night. Giorgi Bezhanishvili has two blocks and Kofi Cockburn had a block as well. The Illini were able to force 12 turnovers as a team.

Illinois was also able to hold Minnesota to 31.7-percent shooting from the field and 15.8-percent from three-point range. They only scored 51 points. This was a great defensive performance by the Illini and one that helped us to the longest winning streak in Big Ten play since our national title run.