Writing Illini
Fansided

Illinois Basketball: 5 observations from the Illini win over UCLA

By Rees Woodcock

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 18: Sencire Harris #1 of the Illinois Fighting Illini runs onto the court to celebrate with teammates after their 79-70 victory over the UCLA Bruins during the Continental Tire Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 18: Sencire Harris #1 of the Illinois Fighting Illini runs onto the court to celebrate with teammates after their 79-70 victory over the UCLA Bruins during the Continental Tire Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 18: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini argues a call with referee Tony Padilla in the first half of a game against the UCLA Bruins during the Continental Tire Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Fighting Illini defeated the Bruins 79-70. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 18: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini argues a call with referee Tony Padilla in the first half of a game against the UCLA Bruins during the Continental Tire Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Fighting Illini defeated the Bruins 79-70. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

3. Sloppy play is something that worries me down the line

I loved this victory by the Illinois basketball program. We were down but then had a triumphant comeback to take the game over UCLA. There was only one issue I had with Illinois on Friday night, though.

This Illini team is a little sloppy with the basketball, and that worries me down the road. If we continue to turn the ball over at a high clip, it will eventually bite us in the butt.

At the end of the first half, the Illini were down 37-28. We didn’t end the first 20 minutes the way we wanted to end it. Illinois also had 13 turnovers compared to 10 made shots. That is not a good recipe for victory.

Illinois would end the game with 21 turnovers compared to just 15 turnovers for the Bruins. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Sencire Harris’ spark and Terrence Shannon Jr. going crazy in the second half, this could have easily been a double-digital loss with the way we turned the ball over.

For the season, Illinois now averages 16.3 turnovers per game. This is bad enough to rank No. 297 out of 363 teams in DI basketball. That is not a stat you want to see.

Why are we turning it over so much? Well, I attribute the turnovers to the lack of time the players have played together. You have to remember that this is a new team. There was one point last night when I thought to myself, every player on the floor for the Illini played exactly zero seconds for the program last season.

Brad Underwood teams also tend to start sloppily as well. Things start to improve about a month in. When Big Ten season rolls around, the Illini are usually much better with the basketball. The sloppy play is just something to keep an eye on moving forward. I would imagine it improves greatly in the coming weeks.

Home/Illinois Basketball