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Illinois Basketball: 3 observations from the Illini loss to Iowa

By Rees Woodcock

IOWA CITY. IA- FEBRUARY 02: Illinois head coach Brad Underwood has words with Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) during a time out during a Big Ten Conference basketball game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Iowa Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City Ia, on February 02, 2020. Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
IOWA CITY. IA- FEBRUARY 02: Illinois head coach Brad Underwood has words with Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) during a time out during a Big Ten Conference basketball game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Iowa Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City Ia, on February 02, 2020. Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – JANUARY 30: Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) shoots a jump shot between Minnesota Golden Gophers center Daniel Oturu (25) and Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Michael Hurt (42) during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 30, 2020, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL – JANUARY 30: Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) shoots a jump shot between Minnesota Golden Gophers center Daniel Oturu (25) and Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Michael Hurt (42) during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 30, 2020, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

1. We went cold at the end

Illinois fans have been getting used to the Illini coming up clutch in the waning moments of games. This was a huge reason we had won the previous seven games leading up to the Iowa contest on Sunday.

Ayo Dosunmu has been leading this Illini bunch during that winning streak. He seemed to take control late in games and hit the game-sealing shot. Ayo coming through was something that was starting to become the norm. But that wasn’t the case against the Hawkeyes.

Illinois had a one-point lead with less than four minutes to go against Iowa. Things were looking good for the Orange and Blue as we had been able to keep the game close despite Kofi Cockburn getting in foul trouble. I didn’t see us going cold in the final four minutes, though.

Iowa would end up finishing the game on an 11-3 run to win by seven points. In the final four minutes of action, Illinois would go 1-of-5 from the field for three points. Those three points were a garbage three-point shot by Ayo at the end of the game.

In addition to the three points and 20-percent shooting from the field, Illinois also had 3 rebounds, 2 turnovers and 1 foul in the final four minutes. Needless to say, this was not a great final stretch for the Orange and Blue.

Sometimes teams just go cold. Illinois happened to do it at the worst time possible. Hopefully, we learn and build from this rough ending.

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