Illinois basketball went into an exhibition on Friday night and could have easily had our doors blown off by Baylor.
The Bears are no joke. They just beat No. 1 Florida in an exhibition, so they are a really good team. The Illini felt their wrath early on, as Baylor came out punching.
Baylor couldn’t miss a shot in the first half. They buried us, going 11-for-18 from three-point range and taking a 63-44 halftime lead. Illinois could have folded up shop and called it a night, but this team came out fighting in the second half.
The Illini made it close, getting the margin down to less than five points in the waning moments. Baylor was just too much, beating Illinois 95-91.
Here are five key observations from the Illinois basketball loss against Baylor
1. Quentin Coleman is a centerpiece
There wasn’t a lot of good for Illinois on Friday night, but I thought Quentin Coleman was the star.
Coleman was electric on the offensive end of the court. His athleticism jumped off the screen, as he could handle the ball and get to the rim so well.
I loved Coleman’s deep shooting. He has a great looking shot, and he can make three-pointers from deep. He went 2-for-8 from three-point range, but you can tell this kid can light up the scoreboard every night.
Illinois needed a leader of the team after the departure of Keaton Wagler. At this point, I don’t think there is any question in my mind that Coleman is that guy.
2. Brad Underwood has a matchup nightmare with Stefan Vaaks
To begin the game, I had a different headline for this section. I was going to say that Brad Underwood needs to pull in Stefan Vaaks because he was running a little too wild. Then I realized that it was by design.
Vaaks is a really good player. He doesn’t seem to be a command-the-team type of guy, but he is going to be a nightmare matchup for the Illini this season.
I believe Vaaks looks bigger than 6-foot-7. He has solid handles, and he is going to torch you from three-point range. Good luck to any backcourt player who thinks they are going to be able to get a hand in that big of a player’s face.
Vaaks runs the court well and always moves. He is someone who is going to find open looks. He isn’t just a spot-up shooter, though. Vaaks can create his own shot. I am excited to see what he can do for the Illini offense this season.
3. Illinois defense could be an issue
When you say the names Wagler and Kylan Boswell, it is the defense that we will miss the most. Last night, and against Cincinnati, the Illini defense has been a major problem.
Illinois is phenomenal on the offensive end. We are always running and moving and scoring. No one should worry about getting points. What we could worry about is having to score nearly 100 every night because our defense gives up so much.
There are a couple of reasons for the bad defense. Illinois lost Wagler, Ben Humrichous, and Boswell. Those were three of the top seven defenders on the team. The replacements don’t really play defense.
Underwood plucked Vaaks from Providence. The Friars gave up 84 points per game and were No. 356 out of 365 teams in points allowed. Vaaks was technically the fifth-best defender on that awful defensive team.
And then you add in all of the freshmen who play. They don’t know the speed of the college game, and they are still learning both sides of the court. Those freshmen were thrown into the fire in the last couple of games against good teams. I mean, Baylor might be a Final Four contender this season.
The defense is a major issue right now. Time will heal this, though. Give the young guys time, and maybe even Vaaks can get up to speed on that end of the court.
4. Lucas Morillo is going to be a crucial piece for Illinois
I don’t think I have seen a more impactful nine minutes of action for the Illinois basketball program that helped shape my opinion of a player.
Lucas Morillo played a total of nine minutes for Illinois in an exhibition game against Baylor, and the result was me believing that this kid could be a huge player for the Illini this season.
Morillo jumped off the page. Illinois played every freshman in the country on Friday night, but Morillo was second to Coleman in the impression he made on me. On both ends of the court, he was outstanding.
I loved Morillo’s aggression on defense. He was one of the best defenders Illinois had. There were times he was hitting the floor, too. His effort on that end was noticeable.
Morillo can get to the bucket, and his shot from the outside is phenomenal. Let’s not forget, this kid is 6-foot-7 as well. Much like Vaaks, he is going to be a nightmare to guard. What Morillo does have are defensive chops.
I think Illinois is going to rely a lot on Morillo this season. It wouldn’t shock me to see him get starts. He will be such an important piece of the puzzle.
5. Keep an eye on the Illinois rebounding
Immediately, there were two things that jumped off the screen in a negative way against Baylor. The first I have already touched on. Illinois’ defense was putrid. The second is rebounding.
I think Illinois fans need to keep an eye on rebounding this season. What I saw against Baylor made me a bit uneasy.
Baylor was able to outrebound Illinois 47-38, but it was extremely noticeable from the jump. They were more aggressive on both ends of the court when crashing the glass.
Illinois missed David Mirkovic in this department. He led the program with 8.0 rebounds per game last season.
Underwood is going to need willing rebounders in the backcourt, too. I like that Coleman had seven rebounds. I need to see more activity from Vaaks, though. He is a big guy who can crash the glass if he wants to. Only one rebound isn’t what Illinois needs.
I am not sounding he alarm on rebounding yet. Illinois isn’t healthy, and we are still learning. This is definitely something to keep an eye on, though.
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