Illinois basketball is one game into the season, and honestly, I have been blown away.
After the Ole Miss exhibition game, I wasn’t sure how quickly the Illini would gel. This is a new team, so it was hard to tell how well they would work together.
It didn’t take long to get an answer. Illinois jumped on Eastern Illinois early, and we continued to dominate the game throughout. A 15-point halftime lead was followed by a 30-point second half margin in favor of the Illini.
By the final horn, Illinois had beaten Eastern Illinois by a score of 112-67.
Here are five big observations from the Illinois basketball win over Eastern Illinois
1. Tomislav Ivisic is impressive
Coming into the 2024-25 season, I wasn’t sure who was going to start at the No. 5 spot. My pick for this starting job was Morez Johnson Jr., but I was wrong.
Tomislav Ivisic is getting the start at the No. 5 spot, and he has been sensational from the jump. He finished the Eastern Illinois game with 14 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, and one steal. This was a complete game from Ivisic.
There were a few things about Ivisic’s game that caught me off guard. The first is his free throw shooting. A big man who is 7-foot-1 is usually below average at free throw shooting. If they are above average, it usually means it is someone who plays on the perimeter. It is rare you find someone like Ivisic who can shoot free throws well and be a dominant paint player. He finished the game going 7-of-9 from the charity stripe.
I think the biggest thing that surprised me about Ivisic was his size and physical presence. I know 7-foot-1 is a big human, but when you watch Ivisic on the court, he just looks massive.
Illinois hasn’t had someone as athletic and big as Ivisic in a long time. I can’t remember the last Illinois player who had those gifts. I was watching Ivisic on the court and thinking, this kid is going to be something special. There will be multiple games in 2024-25 when Ivisic takes over and can’t be stopped.