The Illinois basketball team put together an impressive win over a tough UCLA team on Tuesday night.
For most of the game, I was impressed with how the Illini played. The ball was moving all night long, and for the first time in a while, this felt like a team that had been playing together for years.
Despite only being up by six points in the first half, Illinois seemed to have control. We were keeping the Bruins at arm’s length, and this continued in the second half.
With less than five minutes to go in the game, Illinois increased the lead to 16 points. Most people thought the game was likely over, but UCLA had other plans. They started hitting big shot after big shot, and Illinois got lazy with the basketball.
One thing led to another, and it was a single-digit deficit with three minutes left. You blink again, and with 1:08 to go in the game, UCLA turned it into a one-score contest. It was a wild final five minutes of action. Thankfully, the Illini converted at the free throw line and made a couple of big shots to come away with the 83-78 win over UCLA.
Here are five huge observations from the Illinois basketball win over the UCLA Bruins
1. Kasparas Jakucionis is back to normal
Illinois currently has one of the best players I have ever seen suit up for the program on the roster right now. Kasparas Jakucionis can do things on the court that I have never seen in Champaign.
Before his injury, Jakucionis was dazzling us with his ability to create shots, hit shots, and distribute the basketball. He was incredible. But that injury definitely affected him, and he hasn’t been the same since.
Against Minnesota, Illinois started to get the Jakucionis of old. He looked great, as he went for 24 points, four rebounds, four assists, and one block in the victory over the Golden Gophers. Having one good game isn’t a prover for me, though. I needed to see good games stacked on each other. The UCLA contest was going to be a big showing of whether or not Jakucionis has shaken off the rust.
Let me tell you, the freshman sensation passed with flying colors. It was almost an exact replica of what we saw against Minnesota. Jakucionis was great against the Bruins, giving the Illini 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and one block.
Early in the game, Jakucionis tried to force the game instead of letting it come to him, so he had five turnovers in the contest. That isn’t a huge worry, as he settled down and was efficient in the second half.
The shooting aspect is what stands out to me. Shortly after the injury, Jakucionis wasn’t able to hit shots, and he wasn’t creating the space he was usually able to create. Against UCLA, that all changed. Jakucionis worked some magic and hit big shots
In the last two games alone, Jakucionis is 5-of-12, 41.7%, from three-point range. He has made more three-point shots in the last two games than he did in the prior six contests. I think Jakucionis is finally back to normal.