The Illinois basketball team was about 21 minutes from getting to the Final 4.
A 5-0 run by UConn to close out the first half left the Illini down by five points, but they were still 20 minutes away from the National Semifinal. The Huskies showed the nation, and Illini Nation what a defending national champion looked like.
It was hard to put the next eight minutes of the second half into words but the 28-23 halftime lead by UConn turned into a 58-23 lead before Illinois scored their first points of the second half. I have never seen two major college teams that looked equal on paper so far apart on the court.
As bad as last Saturday's game turned out, this was a successful season. 29 wins, Big Ten Tournament champions, second place in the Big Ten regular season, and a trip to the Elite 8.
Now it's time for Illinois to finally take the next step and become one of the college basketball elite. The best way to do that is to look at the teams ahead of you and see if there is anything that you can learn.
Illinois basketball needs a big-time rebounder and shot blocker
The first thing I think can be learned at Illinois is to get well-rounded. Just look at UConn's efficiency.
I don't know If you care to remember that the Huskies were terrific and ran an efficient offense. They are just as tenacious on defense remember. Thus so, UConn has beaten every opponent in the NCAA tournament by double digits since last year.
According to the information provided by the 2024 Pomeroy Basketball Ratings Kenpom, UConn is No. 1 in offense and No. 4 in defense. According to the numbers, the Huskies are the most complete team in Arizona this weekend.
It wouldn't hurt for the Illini to have a rebound-intimidating shot blocker, just as UConn and Purdue have. While they did just lose Dain Dainja, the transfer portal is rich with talented size.
The Illini are the No. 4 offense and No. 80 defense, which means they can score on just about anyone not named UConn. This also means we need more defensive help, and a big man would solve the program. Hopefully, Morez Johnson Jr. will make a huge impact in year one.