Writing Illini
Fansided

Illinois Basketball: 4 observations from the Illini loss to Ohio State

By Rees Woodcock

Jan 16, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; A wide angle view is seen during the first half in a game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Ohio State Buckeyes at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 16, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; A wide angle view is seen during the first half in a game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Ohio State Buckeyes at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
Jan 16, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) goes up for a shot against Ohio State Buckeyes forward Kyle Young (25) during the second half at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 16, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) goes up for a shot against Ohio State Buckeyes forward Kyle Young (25) during the second half at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports /

3. I am not worrying too much about this game

I know, this doesn’t just sound like I am drinking the Kool-Aid, this sounds like I am swimming in a lake full of Kool-Aid. But, honestly, I am not too worried about this loss.

Sometimes, especially in college basketball, you just run into an extremely hot team. I believe this was part of the problem on Saturday afternoon for the Illini. They just went up against an Ohio State team that was hitting everything.

The Buckeyes haven’t been a good three-point shooting team this season. Coming into the game, they were shooting just 32.8-percent from long range. That was not the team I was watching against the Illini. Ohio State was hitting everything from deep. They ended the game going 11-of-21 from three-point range, which is 52.4-percent. It is hard to win a game when the opposing team is hitting shots like that.

Not only was Ohio State’s three-point shooting way above their average, but their field goal shooting was also. The Buckeyes were only hitting 44.5-percent of their shots coming into the game against the Illini. They ended up shooting 53.7-percent from the field on Saturday. Again, it is tough to win games when the opposing team is shooting that well.

So, while a loss is depressing and no one wants to lose, this loss doesn’t worry me too much. Ohio State had one of those games where they were likely beating just about every team in the nation with the way they shot. We will meet again, and they won’t be hitting the shots like they were on Saturday.

Home/Illinois Basketball