Scott Drew’s 56th birthday came with a pretty memorable gift: Baylor went into Illinois and knocked off the preseason No. 3 Fighting Illini, 95-91, in a game the Bears controlled for most of the night.
It was another eye-catching showing for Drew’s team in exhibition play. Baylor had already beaten preseason No.
1 Florida in overtime on the 18th, and now it adds a win over another heavyweight before the regular season begins on November 2nd. If these two exhibitions are any indication, the Bears will head into the opener with plenty of momentum and confidence.
Baylor set the tone early and built a lead as large as 22 before taking a 63-44 advantage into halftime. The Bears shot 54% from the field and controlled the glass 25-15 in the first half, while Illinois managed just 44% shooting.
Baylor also made the perimeter edge count, hitting 11 of 18 three-point tries in the opening half. Brett Decker Jr. went 5-for-8 from deep in that stretch.
A big part of the first-half burst came from Isaac Williams IV off the bench. The junior poured in 19 points before halftime on 7 of 10 shooting and 2 of 3 at the line, doing it in only six minutes. Foul trouble limited his floor time, but he still finished with 28 points.
Illinois opened the second half with the first points, and Kayden Mingo answered with Baylor’s first basket of the half to stop a 5-0 run. The Illini kept chipping away and got within three with just under three minutes left, but Baylor held on and closed out the 95-91 win.
The second half, though, was a different story from long range. Baylor did not make a single three-pointer after halftime after going 11-for-18 from beyond the arc in the first half.
There was also an injury scare late in the game. With around 12 minutes left, Baylor’s Juslin Bodo Bodo contested Illinois’ Andre Stojackovic at the rim, and Stojackovic fell backward and hit his head on the floor. He left as Illinois’ leading scorer with 15 points and did not return.
Later, with about nine minutes to play, Ivisic went down after landing awkwardly on his left leg while being defended by Kayden Mingo. He left the court under his own power, though he was clearly favoring the leg.
Baylor now turns the page to the regular season, which starts Monday, November 2nd against Northwestern State in Waco at 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
In Other News...
Michael Clayton II Showed Why Illinois Trusted Him Against Oregon
When Katin Houser went down, Illinois had to pivot in a hurry, and Michael Clayton II gave the Illini exactly the kind of answer coaches hope to see in that spot. He stepped into the lineup against Oregon and kept the offense on schedule, pairing steady passing with the kind of ball security that can settle an entire sideline. Offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. also mixed in Carson Boyd as part of the plan, but Clayton was the one who helped Illinois navigate the change at quarterback and come away with the win.
What stood out most was how little Clayton gave Oregon to work with. In a game where a backup can easily become a source of mistakes, he played cleanly and gave Illinois a chance to stay balanced offensively. With Houser out, Clayton is expected to hold the starting job for the foreseeable future, and after the way he handled that stage, it is easy to see why the staff trusted him in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Offense Just Found A New Reason For Fans To Believe
Illinois offense got a much-needed boost in the win over Oregon, and it came with a little bit of everything. The ground game set the tone, Aidan Laughrey broke free for a 75-yard touchdown run, and freshman quarterback Michael Clayton II settled into his first start by completing 11 of 18 passes for 84 yards and two scores.
For a team that has spent plenty of time searching for a steadier offensive identity, the combination was encouraging in more ways than one. Illinois still had help from Oregons side of the scoreboard, with Gage Hurych missing three field goals, but the Illini walked away looking like a team with at least a few more answers than questions on offense. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Just Sent A Big Ten Message With This Win
A second-half surge and a lot of patience with the ground game carried Illinois to a 21-10 win over Oregon, a result that felt bigger than a single conference victory. The Illini flipped the game with 21 unanswered points after halftime, leaning into a run-heavy approach that featured Aidan Laughery and a quarterback rotation between Michael Clayton II and Carson Boyd.
Oregon had chances to keep the pressure on, but three missed field goals and a series of stalled trips in Illinois territory left the Ducks empty-handed when the game started to tilt. Illinois now turns to Maryland, a team in transition after recently parting ways with its head coach, with momentum and a clearer sense of how this roster wants to win in Big Ten play. [Read more 🡒]