2. Illinois got such a huge boost from Will Riley
Honestly, the outcome for Illinois was looking pretty bleak at halftime. Ohio State went on what I believe was a 6-0 run, and the Illini had a hard time handling the Buckeyes’ shooters.
Illinois needed some type of spark in the second half. We needed someone to step up, as we didn’t have anyone taking over the game and things seemed a bit off.
That is when Will Riley took control. Riley played 13 minutes in the first half and only had four points on 1-of-2 shooting from the field. He was nearly a non-factor. But Riley hit another gear in the second 20 minutes of action.
In the second half alone, Riley had 20 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field and 7-of-9 from the free throw line. He also had two rebounds and one assist.
This was an incredible half of basketball by the five-star freshman. Riley finally stopped settling for shots from long range and started to get aggressive toward the basket. He was driving and creating contact. Riley has great length, and he used that to get the ball over the defenders as he was getting fouled.
Illinois finally got vintage Riley. He is someone who can take over a game with his size and athletic ability. Settling for shots from NBA range is what opponents want. Riley didn’t do that in the second half. He took over, and it was so fun to watch.