In a physical, defensive-minded battle between Illinois (7-3) and No. 1 Tennessee (10-0) on Saturday in Champaign, the Volunteers prevailed 66-64, escaping the State Farm Center with their unblemished record compliments of a buzzer-beating layup from sixth man Jordan Gainey.
In a game dominated by the whistle (45 total fouls), the Illini were able to foul out both of Tennessee’s star guards (Zakai Zeigler and Chaz Lanier), but it wasn’t enough as Gainey came off the bench and poured in 23 points, including the game-winner.
Offensively, the Illini finished a nightmarish 15-for-51 (29.4 percent) from the field, struggling to find openings all night and rushing shots when they did. On the other end, though, Illinois buckled down and put together its most impressive defensive performance of the year.
Despite falling in heart-wrenching fashion, the young Illini showed their sky-high potential, giving the top-ranked Vols their toughest challenge so far this season and showing folks outside Big Ten country that Illinois can compete with anyone.
Here are three key numbers that show how the Illini did it – and why they fell just short:
For the first time all year, Illinois lost the battle of the boards. Tennessee snagged 42 rebounds, while Illinois managed 37 (a minus-5 rebounding marring. Even more telling, the Volunteers had 17 offensive boards, which they turned into endless second-chance points either at the rim or on the free-throw line. Igor Milicic managed nine offensive rebounds alone, offsetting his poor shooting from deep (0-for-8) by getting easy buckets at the hoop or the charity stripe. And in a game in which easy looks were harder to find than a needle in a field of haystacks, Illinois’ inability to finish a defensive possession with a rebound prevented it from pulling an unforgettable upset.
Let’s make something clear: Kasparas Jakucionis is elite. If he isn’t college basketball’s most impactful freshman, he’s certainly in the conversation. Against No. 1 Tennessee, Jakucionis scored 22 (his fifth straight 20-point game) and knocked down two momentum-shifting and-1 threes. But … he finished with only two assists (a career low) while turning it over seven times (a career high). In particular, his turnover late in the second half on a sideline inbounds to Tomislav Ivisic, which was turned into a Tennessee dunk on the other end, put the Illini into a hole they would stay in. Mistakes are expected out of a player who handles the ball and creates as much as Jakucionis does, but so many of them – and at such key moments – can make the difference between elite and all-time great.
Kasparas Jakucionis ‼️ The Fighting Illini are on a heater! @IlliniMBB pic.twitter.com/SDSqnOxpzg
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) December 15, 2024
On an encouraging note, Illinois held Tennessee to its second-lowest scoring output of the season – and its lowest field-goal percentage (32.3) by far. Kylan Boswell once again put on a defensive showcase, locking up Chaz Lanier (5-for-17 shooting). While Boswell’s performance has become the expectation, Illinois’ other defensive pieces (Tre White, Tomislav Ivisic and even Jakucionis, at times) elevated their play on that end to previously unseen levels, matching Boswell’s intensity and grit en route to bottling up the Volunteers’ dynamic offense. Additionally, the Illini’s understanding of personnel allowed Ivisic and forward Ben Humrichous to sag off certain shooters and provide help at the rim. If Illinois can start combining their best defensive and offensive outputs, there’s no telling how far this team can go.
