Illinois’ Shooting Struggles Continue Against Top Competition - And Tennessee’s Defense Won’t Offer Much Relief
For Illinois, the story is starting to feel a little too familiar. When the lights are brightest and the opponent is elite, the Illini’s offense - particularly their perimeter shooting - seems to vanish.
Against lesser competition, this team can look like one of the most dangerous shooting squads in the country. But when they stepped onto the floor against UConn on Black Friday, the radar went haywire.
Brad Underwood didn’t sugarcoat it after the game. “We’ve got to make them,” he said, referring to the open looks Illinois generated in the first half - a stretch that ended with the Illini trailing 43-32.
And to be fair, they did get their shots. The ball movement was there, the looks were clean, and the offensive sets created space.
But the shots just didn’t fall.
That trend only worsened in the second half as UConn locked in defensively. Illinois finished the game shooting just 31.7% from the field (19-for-60) and a painful 20.7% from beyond the arc (6-for-29).
Strip away the production from Kylan Boswell and Tomislav Ivisic, and the rest of the team shot a combined 8-for-39 - that’s 20.5% from the field. Against a team like UConn, that’s not going to get it done.
And now? Things don’t get any easier.
Next up for Illinois is a Tennessee squad that’s made its name on the defensive end. Rick Barnes has built one of the most consistently tough defenses in college basketball - and this season is no exception.
The Volunteers don’t just defend; they suffocate. They pressure the ball, rotate with purpose, and rarely make mental mistakes.
If there’s a defensive checklist, Tennessee checks every box.
Barnes doesn’t just find good defenders - he develops them. Or, in some cases, he brings in guys who are already elite on that end.
Maryland transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie is a prime example. Add in Bishop Boswell and rim-protector Felix Okpara, and Tennessee has three high-level defenders who can lock down their man without needing constant help.
The rest of the roster? Solid across the board in one-on-one situations.
What makes Tennessee’s defense special isn’t just the individual talent. It’s the way they move together.
This isn’t a reactive defense - it’s proactive. Rotations happen in unison, not as a result of breakdowns.
The communication is crisp. The effort is relentless.
Kylan Boswell kept Illinois afloat with his bully-ball shot creation, PNR pace and shot-making prowess. 25 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists for the 20-year old senior in a loss to UConn at MSG. pic.twitter.com/YrheFMLGs2
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) November 28, 2025
And it’s all by design.
That kind of cohesion is exactly what Illinois has struggled to replicate. While the Illini have shown flashes of strong individual defense and effort, they’ve also been plagued by communication breakdowns and inconsistent execution - issues that Tennessee simply doesn’t have.
And here’s the kicker: Tennessee doesn’t just defend well - they wear you down. They force opponents into late-clock situations, contest everything, and challenge teams to beat them possession by possession.
Even in their lone loss this season, Kansas only managed 42.1% shooting from the field. The Jayhawks’ secret?
They lived at the free-throw line, earning 30 attempts by attacking Tennessee’s physical, sometimes foul-prone defense.
That’s the blueprint for Illinois.
This is where Brad Underwood’s emphasis on getting to the line becomes critical. With guards like Boswell and Keaton Wagler - two of the best in the country at drawing contact - Illinois has the personnel to exploit one of the few soft spots in Tennessee’s armor. But to do that, they’ll need to shift their offensive focus.
Too often, the Illini fall in love with the three-point shot - even when it’s not falling. That kind of tunnel vision won’t work against a defense like Tennessee’s. If Illinois wants to generate offense, they’ll need to attack the rim, feed their bigs, and force the Volunteers to defend without fouling.
There’s real opportunity here. Gillespie has picked up four fouls in back-to-back games.
If Illinois can get him - or any of Tennessee’s key defenders - into foul trouble, it changes the entire dynamic of the game. But that won’t happen without a more aggressive, downhill approach.
Drawing fouls won’t solve everything for Illinois’ offense, but it’s a start. And maybe, just maybe, it’s time to add a little more off-ball movement into the mix. This team has the size and talent to score inside - they just have to commit to it.
The road ahead isn’t easy. Tennessee’s defense is as disciplined and disruptive as any in the country. But if Illinois can learn from their struggles against UConn and adjust their approach, they’ve got a shot to flip the narrative.
Because at some point, if this team wants to be taken seriously in March, they’ll have to prove they can hit shots - and make plays - when it matters most.