Needing a win to secure one of the top two seeds in the NCAA tournament, Illinois basketball came out and laid an egg.
This was one of the most disappointing losses for the Illini in my lifetime. We were up on Wisconsin by double digits, and then for some reason, the upperclassmen decided to start thinking about anything other than the game.
Wisconsin, of course, came storming back. There were no answers coming from the Illini bench. We couldn’t make free throws, we couldn’t execute simple plays, and the coaching staff seemed lost.
All of this ended up leading Illinois down a dark path in the second half. A six-point halftime lead for the Illini turned into a 91-88 loss in overtime.
Here are five frustrating observations from the Illinois basketball loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament
1. Where in the world is Tomislav Ivisic
There comes a point in a player's career at Illinois where there is no going back. The player is what he is, and that point has arrived for Tomislav Ivisic.
Ivisic is not the same player he was last season. Once in a while, he can reach back and find his old juice, but that dynamic player who is a legitimate threat on all levels of the court is gone.
It was one of the most frustrating games I have seen an Illinois player play in my lifetime. Ivisic finished with 24 minutes and only logged nine points, two rebounds, and one turnover. He was just 3-of-8 from the field and 1-of-5 from three-point range.
This season, Ivisic has had 14 single-digit scoring games. He has now had four in a row with his nine points against the Badgers. In his last seven games, Ivisic is 6-of-33, 18.2%, from three-point range.
Illinois has to stop going to Ivisic. Bring him off the bench. Start his brother, Zvonimir. Change it up. Do something. The status quo is not working.
2. Illinois needed Kylan Boswell to step up in a big moment
When you have seniors on the team who are starting, you should be able to lean on them for production and guidance throughout a game. You can’t do that with Kylan Boswell.
Boswell is now in his fourth year in college. He is someone who has been in big situations throughout his career, and yet, he only gives Illinois minimal production in a big game.
It all started less than a minute into the Wisconsin game. Boswell got in the face of Nick Boyd and was called for a technical foul. That isn’t helping anyone. That gave him a foul, and it caused Boswell to play only 18 minutes in the game.
Illinois needed Boswell’s backcourt abilities. We didn’t have him in the first game when Illinois lost in overtime to the Badgers. The fact that we only got him for 18 minutes in the second matchup hindered the program, too.
Boswell finished the Big Ten Tournament game with nine points, five rebounds, and one turnover. He was in foul trouble throughout and would eventually foul out.
The display of unseriousness from Boswell on Friday afternoon was inexcusable. He needs to be leading Illinois, not hindering us.
3. How does Ben Humrichous only take one shot
There is plenty of blame to go around on the Illinois basketball team. The players need plenty of that blame, but the coaching staff also needs to get their heads out of their butts.
Illinois has sets and draws up plays, but by the end of the game, I look, and one of our best three-point shooters is only taking one shot. How is that possible?
Ben Humrichous logged 23 minutes against Wisconsin due to Boswell’s inability to stay out of foul trouble. In those 23 minutes, he should have been firing up shots. The fact that he only took one shot the entire game is mind-boggling.
This is only Humrichous’ third game shooting one or fewer shots this season. In a big game, the Illinois coaching staff has to draw up more for a player in Humrichous who is shooting 35.5% from three-point range. Wisconsin was doing a number on us in the paint, and Humrichous could have spread the court out more.
I thought Humrichous had a pretty good game, too. He finished with four rebounds and an assist, but the fact that he only got one shot up is inexcusable. This is on the coaching staff for not realizing he needs to be shooting more.
4. The free throw line killed the Illini
The thing that frustrates me the most about the Illinois basketball team is the fact that while losses happen, we shoot ourselves in the foot a lot.
At the end of the day, I wasn’t mad at Illinois’ defense. Sure, we gave up 91 points in overtime, but Wisconsin’s shooting metrics weren’t good. They shot 42% from the field and 24% from the free throw line. It is the other stats that got Illinois in trouble, and mainly the ones we can control.
You are a basketball player at the highest levels of the college game. You literally get paid to play this sport now, and yet, you can’t make free throws.
Free throws are wide open from, I believe, 15 feet away from the basket. No one is guarding you, and this is a shot you can practice and perfect. Illinois is far from doing that, though.
The Illini lost the game against Wisconsin in part due to free throw shooting. We shot 9-of-15, 60%, from the free throw line. Literally, if we shoot 10-of-15, 66.6%, Illinois wins that game and doesn’t go to overtime.
David Mirkovic had opportunities to make shots, and he was just 1-of-3 from the charity stripe. Andrej Stojakvoic was just 4-of-6, Jake Davis was 0-of-1, and Keaton Wagler was 2-of-3. Illinois can’t get out of our own way, and it is why we lose these close games. We can’t close out and make the simplest shot in the game.
5. This was a tough loss for Illinois
Coming into Friday, a win over Wisconsin would have locked up the No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. This was the goal.
Well, Illinois fell well short of that goal. We lost to the Badgers in overtime, and this is setting a ripple effect throughout the NCAA tournament.
My guess is that Illinois is pretty locked into a No. 3 seed, and it wouldn’t shock me to see us drop down to a No. 4 seed.
Confidence in the program is at an all-time low this season, too. Illinois needed to show we could beat a good team. Since February 2, Illinois is 5-5. Those five wins are against the bottom of the Big Ten, with the best win being against Indiana.
Illinois is now out of the Big Ten Tournament, and I would say that it is a silver lining because of the rest, but we just had plenty of rest heading into the game on Friday, and we ended up laying an egg.
As it stands right now, I just hope Illinois avoids the first round upset in the NCAA tournament. From there, it is anyone’s guess. I don’t think this team has the moxie to go very far, though.