Illinois came into Tuesday night as the No. 3 team in the country, but the trip to Texas Tech turned into a long climb almost immediately. The Illini fell into a 20-point halftime hole against the top-20 Red Raiders, then spent the second half trying to dig their way back before finally running out of clock in an 84-78 loss - their first defeat of the season.
The comeback effort had enough bite to make it interesting late, but the opening stretch left Illinois with too much to overcome. A game that started badly never fully stopped asking questions of the Illini, especially on the perimeter and on the defensive end.
Stefan Vaaks was supposed to be one of the key answers. Instead, he had a rough night in every phase.
The offseason transfer addition, brought in after being the Big East’s best shooter as a freshman, couldn’t find his rhythm off the bench and finished 2/10 from three. He also missed four free throws and was targeted defensively as Texas Tech helped build that early cushion.
With David Mirkovic out, Illinois needs Vaaks to be a steady presence against ranked teams, and this wasn’t the kind of performance that helps carry that load.
The bigger issue was the shooting as a whole. Illinois lives on volume from deep - the Illini are top-10 nationally in three-point attempts at nearly 40 per game - but Tuesday showed how fragile that approach can be when the shots don’t drop.
Illinois finished 10/34 from beyond the arc, and outside of Quentin Coleman, the numbers were even worse at 5/28. Without Mirkovic scoring inside, the three-ball becomes even more central to the offense, and Texas Tech made sure that weakness was exposed.
Coleman, though, kept flashing exactly why he’s becoming such a force. The five-star freshman delivered 19 points, five rebounds and four assists while going 5/6 from deep, giving Illinois a real spark in the second half.
He’s now averaging 17 points and 6.0 rebounds per game and has already established himself as one of the best first-year players in the country. He isn’t at the same level as last year’s star Keaton Wagler, but Coleman is looking more and more like the kind of future pro talent that doesn’t stay around long.
In Other News...
Greg Sankey Just Dragged Illinois Into The Big Ten SEC Fight
Greg Sankey took direct aim at the College Football Playoff debate this week, brushing aside the familiar argument that the SEC gets special treatment because of its media rights deal with ESPN. The SEC commissioner said the selection process is the same for every conference and pushed back on the idea that his league has been lobbying or steering the rankings behind the scenes.
His comments also pulled Illinois into the middle of the larger Big Ten-SEC argument, after he responded specifically to Bret Bielemas criticism. Sankey challenged Big Ten programs to prove themselves by scheduling non-conference games against SEC opponents, a pointed reminder that the debate over strength of schedule is not going away anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois May Have Found Another Guard Fans Will Instantly Recognize
Illinois basketball came up short against Texas Tech, but Quentin Coleman gave the Illini another reason to pay attention to the backcourt. The freshman led the team with 19 points, added five rebounds, four assists and two steals, and his second-half surge stood out even in defeat. He was especially sharp after the break, finishing without a miss from the field or beyond the arc in that stretch.
For Illinois fans, the appeal goes beyond one strong outing. Colemans early-season production and the way he carries himself on the floor have invited comparisons to former Illini guard Keaton Wagler, another freshman who made his presence felt by doing a little of everything. It is still early, but Coleman is already showing the kind of all-around game that can make a newcomer feel familiar fast. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Could Not Finish The Comeback In A Rare Rough Night
Illinois had enough spurts to make Texas Tech sweat, but the Illini could not quite finish the comeback in an 84-78 loss on a rare rough night. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn supplied 15 points to help keep Illinois within striking distance, but the Red Raiders had the steadier finish and the more reliable scoring punch when it mattered most.
Cruz Davis led Texas Tech with 20 points, and Jamichael Stillwell made his season debut after being granted a temporary restraining order to play. For Illinois, the result was a reminder that even when the offense finds some rhythm late, there is still work to do in closing out a game against a capable opponent. [Read more 🡒]