3 keys for the Illinois basketball team to beat the Indiana Hoosiers

My hope is that the Illinois basketball team forgets the ugly performance from a few days ago, as the Indiana Hoosiers await in Bloomington.

USC v Illinois
USC v Illinois | Michael Hickey/GettyImages
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Illinois basketball needed a quick game after the disappointing loss to USC.

The Illini welcomed in the Trojans this past Saturday and looked completely outmatched. Brad Underwood didn’t have his team ready, and it showed for 40 minutes.

Just a couple of days later, Illinois now heads to Bloomington to take on a solid Indiana squad. I am glad this is a tough road game because it will help expose any of our flaws and if we are still in a funk

Illinois needs to come out looking strong because the Hoosiers have talent. They will jump on us quickly if we aren’t on our game. But how can the Illini secure the victory and get back on track?

Here are three keys for the Illinois basketball team to beat the Indiana Hoosiers

1. Tomislav Ivisic needs to show up against Oumar Ballo

The last game against USC was one of the most embarrassing losses Illinois basketball has had in the Brad Underwood era. We didn’t have much fight, and key players didn’t show up to the game.

Even though he disappeared against the Trojans, I still think Tomislav Ivisic is one of the best players on the team. The big man has all of the ability in the world, and he just needs to get back on track.

So, for Illinois to beat Indiana, Ivisic has to play well. Not only that, but I think he needs to go toe-to-toe with one of the best big men in the country in Indiana’s Oumar Ballo.

Ballo has been sensational for the Hoosiers. The 7-foot Arizona transfer is currently averaging 14.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game. This will be, arguably, the toughest matchup Ivisic is going to face this season.

I just don’t understand why the Illinois offense doesn’t get Ivisic more involved more often. I feel like he always starts games strong but then his production tappers off to the point where he goes missing in the middle of the first half.

This could be the perfect opportunity for Ivisic to get back on track. While Ballo seems to be a force, Indiana does allow opponents to shoot well in the paint. Their opponents shoot 50.1% from two-point range, ranking No. 149 in the country.

I also believe Ivisic can stretch the floor with his size. Let’s have him pull Ballo out to the three-point arc so Illinois’ guards can drive the lane. That would help the offense flow more smoothly on Tuesday night. The Ivisic vs. Ballo battle will be a fun one.

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