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Illinois Basketball: 3 observations from the Illini win over Nebraska

By Rees Woodcock

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - FEBRUARY 18: Trent Frazier #1 of the Illinois Fighting Illini celebrates a win after a college basketball game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Bryce Jordan Center on February 18, 2020 in University Park, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - FEBRUARY 18: Trent Frazier #1 of the Illinois Fighting Illini celebrates a win after a college basketball game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Bryce Jordan Center on February 18, 2020 in University Park, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – FEBRUARY 11: Members of the Illinois Fighting Illini celebrate during the game against the Michigan State Spartans at State Farm Center on February 11, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL – FEBRUARY 11: Members of the Illinois Fighting Illini celebrate during the game against the Michigan State Spartans at State Farm Center on February 11, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

1. This game was never in doubt

The Illinois basketball team jumped out to a quick lead in the game against Nebraska. Everything seemed to be going fine. We took a double-digit lead about halfway through the first half.

But the final seven minutes of the first half and the first seven minutes of the second half worried a lot of Illinois fans. The Illini went from having a double-digit lead to being tied with Cornhuskers with less than two minutes to go in the first half.

Nebraska had this game tied with just 15 minutes to go in the game as well. On paper, this looks like Nebraska was competing with the Orange and Blue. But, for me anyway, this game was never in doubt.

I know, it is hard to say that when Nebraska kept up with the Illini for a solid 14-minute stretch. But during the time they were being competitive, Illinois was just in cruise control mode. This might be something to worry about down the road, but I believe we had more talent than Nebraska and that would prevail.

Illinois would ultimately win the game by double-digit points. In the past, that sleepwalking stretch would have cost us the game. But we have more talent on the team right now than we have had in the past decade. This win kind of reminded me of the team from the national title run.

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