The Illinois basketball team got a few days of much-needed rest before taking down the Ohio State Buckeyes at the State Farm Center on Tuesday night.
Sleep — that’s what Matthew Mayer did during two of his off days in the aftermath of the Illini loss to Indiana last Thursday. Less than a week later, everything fell into place, as “Krush Cancer” night featured a 69-60 Illini win against Ohio State.
With the victory, Illinois broke a six-year home losing streak against the Buckeyes and put itself back in Big Ten title and tournament contention for the time being.
As for the game, it was a performance accustomed to what the Orange and Blue could become – tenacious on defense and consistent on the offensive end. Safe to say that all phases were executed well, including some big-time performances from Terrence Shannon Jr., Mayer, Jayden Epps, and Coleman Hawkins.
The first half saw the Buckeyes hang with the Illini, as freshman sensation Brice Sensabaugh gave the Orange and Blue fits and propelled the visitors to an early lead. Unlike the Indiana game, however, Illinois had an answer for what nearly turned into an offensive onslaught.
The turning point of the entire game might have come just before the halftime break, as Shannon Jr. stole the ball in transition, raced to the rim, and slammed it home. This moment got Illini Nation excited that maybe, just maybe, there was still some life in the Illini. Shannon Jr. led all scorers with 17 points.
Terrence Shannon Jr. has done this many times this season. 💥@Sn1per_T x @IlliniMBB pic.twitter.com/uMRNA0NPuY
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) January 25, 2023
Illinois’ defense dictated the second half of play, however. Behind 10 combined blocks and steals, the Illini put together an impressive performance that saw Hawkins play at an NBA-caliber level, as he finished with seven rebounds and made some heads-up plays while in crunch time, even if the stat sheet did not reflect it.
Brad Underwood was in agreement, as he has shown Hawkins high praise in his lowest moments.
"“Coleman was terrific…I thought really controlled the game at both ends of the court,” Underwood said post-game."
Shannon Jr. also shared Underwood’s sentiment.
"“I feel like we’re unbeatable when Coleman plays like that,” Shannon Jr. said."
Looking ahead for the Illinois basketball program and what is next.
In three days, the Illini will look to complete a season sweep of the Wisconsin Badgers, as the Orange and Blue won the first matchup in early January at the State Farm Center, 79-69, as it was their first conference win.
Along with keeping the momentum going, Illinois has won five out of the last six games and is slowly starting to play better as a unit overall.
Saturday’s game will tip off at 2 p.m. CT and will be nationally televised on FOX.