Illinois left Lubbock with its first loss of the season, and the scoreline told only part of the story. No.
3 Illinois trailed No. 16 Texas Tech 49-29 at halftime and looked nothing like a national title contender for much of the night.
The Illini did wake up after the break, but the comeback came too late to erase the damage from that opening half.
One of the biggest takeaways from Tuesday night was how badly Illinois got beaten on the glass. Texas Tech grabbed 18 offensive rebounds on 39 missed field goals, a 46.2 percent offensive rebounding rate that would have led the nation last season. That came from a Red Raiders team that had only one player taller than 6-foot-6 log more than 15 minutes: 6-foot-8 Jamichael Stillwell.
That result stands out even more because Illinois entered the game as one of the tallest teams in the country and had led the nation in rebounding margin. David Mirkovic’s absence matters, but it doesn’t explain everything. The Illini have already shown a pattern of struggling on the defensive glass against high-major opponents, going back to two exhibition games against Baylor and Cincinnati.
The issue starts with the Ivisic twins and Andrej Stojakovic, who need to be much better in those battles. Illinois’ guards have actually held up well, but defensive rebounding is a different job than chasing down offensive boards.
It’s about contact first, then pursuit. Mirkovic’s return should help in a major way, but Illinois can’t simply wait for him to fix the problem.
There’s also the matter of the freshmen. Ethan Brown, Zavier Zens and Lucas Morillo were overwhelmed at times, and that’s not exactly a shock for first-year players in a place like Lubbock. The trip to Cincinnati in the exhibition season didn’t do much to prepare them for that kind of setting.
Still, the bigger concern is what that means down the line. Veteran guards tend to matter in March, and Illinois’ starting backcourt is made up of two first-year college players. Add freshman Lincoln Williams, a hybrid guard/wing, and that makes three young pieces in key roles.
The talent is real, though, and that’s why this isn’t a full-blown alarm just yet. Mirkovic will be back at some point, giving Illinois an experienced and highly skilled trio with Andrej Stojakovic and Tomislav Ivisic.
Quentin Coleman, meanwhile, can usually cover for freshman mistakes because of his defense and work on the boards. If Jake Davis returns this season, even though that remains unknown, and Zvonimir Ivisic gets back to some level of normalcy, Illinois could have seven players it can trust in almost any situation, including transfer Stefan Vaaks.
That would leave the Illini in a much better place, especially with Mirkovic likely serving as the primary “action guy,” and with less pressure on the freshmen to carry so much of the load.
The other troubling thread from Tuesday was the slow start itself. This wasn’t the first time Illinois has opened poorly against a strong opponent.
The same thing happened in the Baylor exhibition, when the Illini trailed by 19 at halftime and had given up 63 points before holding Baylor to 32 in the second half and nearly coming all the way back. Baylor also collected 22 offensive rebounds in that game.
Against Texas Tech, the script looked familiar. Illinois fell behind by as many as 22 points and was down 20 at the break.
The second-half response was better, especially on defense, where the Illini cut down on mental mistakes and played with more effort. But it still wasn’t enough.
So what’s causing these slow starts against top-tier competition? That’s not clear.
It could be complacency. It could just be randomness.
Either way, it’s on Brad Underwood to sort it out, and quickly. The Illini may need those trademark fire-up moments before halftime, not after it, especially with Duke waiting next week.
For now, the most reasonable read is that Illinois got its first real road test of the season and looked like a young team in that environment. The question is whether this was just a one-off lesson or the start of a pattern. If it happens again at Duke, the concern level changes fast.
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The road loss at Texas Tech gave Illinois a useful look at which players can travel with their game and which ones still need to find a steadier gear away from home. Lincoln Williams stood out for his defensive impact, while Quentin Coleman brought scoring and two-way energy that helped keep the Illini competitive in stretches. The game also offered a clear read on how the group handled the physicality, shot selection and turnover pressure that come with a difficult Big 12 road environment.
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The victory marked Illinois fourth straight and kept the program bowl eligible for a third consecutive season, a sign that this stretch is about more than one hot hand. Katin Houser and other Illini also played their part, but Dixons consistency has become a defining piece of the surge. With the season moving into its next phase, Illinois has a lot to like about the way its offense is being carried by more than one contributor. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Needs A Fast Response In A Home Test Fans Can't Ignore
Illinois gets back to work Friday night at the State Farm Center, where the Illini will try to steady things after opening the season 2-1. Sam Houston comes in with the same record, setting up a nonconference matchup that offers an early read on where both teams stand, even if there is no history between them to lean on. It will also be a different kind of test for Illinois, which is still sorting through its rotation.
The Illini will be doing it without Jake Davis and David Mirkovic, both sidelined by injuries, so the margin for error is a little thinner than usual. With a home crowd in Champaign and a first-ever meeting on the schedule, this is the kind of game that can either help calm the early-season noise or leave more questions hanging around Illinois heading into the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]