Illinois basketball is quickly turning into a juggernaut, as the game against SIU-Edwardsville got ugly fast.
The Illini looked good from the jump. SIU-Edwardsville was able to hit a few big shots early on in the game to keep the margin to low double-digits, but Illinois pulled away with suffocating defense and an offense that is rare in Champaign.
By halftime, the Illini built a 46-28 cushion. There was no let-up either. In the second half, the Illini subbed the backups in more often, but that is also a solid unit. Illinois still managed to increase the lead by 14 points, beating SIU-Edwardsville by a score of 90-58.
Here are five massive observations from the Illinois basketball win over SIU-Edwardsville
1. Tomislav Ivisic is a 1st team All-Big Ten player
I touched on this a bit in the first observations article of the season, but to me, Illinois clearly has a special talent when I watch Tomislav Ivisic out on the court.
When the Illini landed Ivisic, I didn’t think we were getting a big-time talent. I thought he could spend a few seasons in Champaign before potentially heading to the NBA. Not only was I wrong on the talent level of Ivisic, but I think this could be the most versatile player on the floor for the Orange and Blue.
Ivisic finished the SIU-Edwardsville game playing 22 minutes and amassing 18 points, seven rebounds, and one assist. On paper, that just looks like a solid game against a bad team, but there is more to Ivisic if you watched the contest.
This kid is a 7-foot-1 monster. No, he doesn’t lumber around the court. He is extremely agile and can move well. He is able to guard defensively at all levels, so he isn’t a liability on switches.
Ivisic's athletic ability really stands out to me. That is one of the two things that makes him special at his size. The other thing is his shooting.
Ivisic is incredible offensively. He can pay the traditional big man back-to-the-basket role, but he can also stretch the floor. If you want a mid-range jumper, he can knock that down. Don’t slack off Ivisic on the three-point arc because he can hit that too. He was 2-of-4 from three-point range against the Cougars on Friday night.
I had a thought on Friday night. Do you remember Meyers Leonard? Ivisic has a very similar build. Now, think about that body but then think about it more agile, better at rebounding, and much better at shooting than Leonard ever was. That is what Illinois has with Ivisic. He is a first-team All-Big Ten player right now. I can’t imagine what he is going to look like by season’s end.