Stefan Vaaks has spent Illinois’ first three exhibition games coming off the bench, and the reaction has been easy to understand: it’s been a surprise.
Even after two exhibitions, seeing Vaaks outside the starting five felt unusual. When he wasn’t in the lineup Wednesday against UIC, it was flat-out startling.
That said, freshman Lincoln Williams earned his moment too. In just five minutes, limited by injury, Williams was excellent.
Still, Vaaks looked like the more obvious starter.
Then Vaaks explained it himself after the Illini rolled past UIC.
“I don’t care about if I start or if I come off the bench," Vaaks said. "Actually, I think, for me, I feel like I play better when I come off the bench, to be honest with you.”
That answer makes the whole thing make more sense. Maybe he really does prefer that role, or at the very least, he’s comfortable with it. And if that’s the case, Illinois has no reason to force the issue.
The bigger point is that starting doesn’t matter nearly as much as closing. Vaaks looks like a lock to be on the floor when games tighten up, and that’s what counts. If he’s more settled watching the game take shape before he enters, the Illini can live with that.
Against UIC, the shot wasn’t falling. Vaaks finished 4-for-10 from the field and 1-for-6 from three.
But the overall impact was still obvious. His passing stood out, especially a one-handed cross-court dime from corner to corner with his off-hand.
He added a couple more sharp assists and finished with five assists and no turnovers.
The other part of his night was the stuff coaches love. Vaaks hit the floor for loose balls.
He jumped a passing lane and turned it into two points the other way. Those are the kinds of possessions that don’t always show up in the loudest way, but they matter.
What Illinois still wants from him is clearer: defense and rebounding. Those are effort and desire plays, and that’s where the next step lies.
The scoring is already there. He showed that at Providence last year, and his 37 points in 41 minutes against Cincinnati and Baylor backed it up.
The playmaking is already established, too.
If Vaaks keeps bringing that level of effort every night, Illinois may have the best reserve in the country. Brad Underwood certainly sounded like a coach who appreciated exactly what he saw.
“I thought Stef Vaaks made some of the winningest plays that we’ve always done here, and maybe we haven’t done,” Underwood said after the UIC exhibition win. “Getting on the floor for loose balls and understanding what a win looks like.
And it’s not just scoring points. So, we had a couple we didn’t, and then Stef, a couple we did.
And that’s what winning basketball is about. So, my hat's off to him.”
In Other News...
Illinois Kept Winning But This Finish Raised A Bigger Question
Illinois had to grind for every inch Saturday, but it still found a way to leave College Park with a 20-17 win over Maryland. Ethan Moczulski finished it with a 26-yard field goal as time expired, a clean ending to a messy game that pushed the Illini to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten play.
The result came against a Maryland team playing under interim coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim for the first time after Michael Locksleys dismissal, and the Terps made Illinois work far longer than the standings might have suggested. For the Illini, the win was the important part, but the way they got there also left a familiar question hanging over a team trying to hold its place in the conference race. [Read more 🡒]
Two Illini Stepped Up When Bowl Hopes Needed Them Most
Illinois needed someone to seize the moment late against Maryland, and it got exactly that from a pair of players who gave the game its defining swings. Freshman Javari Barnett broke loose for a 64-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, a burst that helped keep the Illini in striking distance in a game that stayed tight all the way to the finish.
Matthew Bailey also made his presence felt on the defensive side, stacking up tackles for loss and forcing a fumble as Illinois fought through a tense fourth quarter. The 20-17 win pushed the Illini to five victories, leaving them one more step away from bowl eligibility and giving this team a little more breathing room as the season turns toward its final stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Suddenly Has A Bigger Problem Before Its Season Opener
Illinois is already dealing with an early-season complication before the opener, as preseason All-American David Mirkovic will be sidelined after a setback tied to appendicitis and an appendix removal. Brad Underwood confirmed the absence but stopped short of offering any real timetable for when Mirkovic might be back, leaving one of the teams most important pieces in limbo as the season gets underway.
For Illinois, the good news is there is enough depth to absorb the loss in the short term, at least in the games immediately ahead. Still, losing a player of Mirkovics caliber this close to the start of the season changes the feel of the buildup, and the bigger question now is how long the Illini will have to manage without him. [Read more 🡒]