It’s been said before, but tonight’s game against No. 19 Ohio State is the biggest game of the year. It’s clear the Illini knew what was on the line: a double-bye for next week’s Big Ten tournament and the opportunity to boost their resume on the road against a ranked opponent. The Illini couldn’t afford to come out flat but they did, losing to the Buckeyes 71-63. 

At the half, Illinois held a 37-30 lead, due in large part to the performance of Ayo Dosunmo who had 14 points on 6/8 shooting in the first half and took over the game in the final minutes of the half. He’s shown this ability before, but it’s nice to see him playing his best basketball when it matters most. Another great performance came from Andres Feliz, who had 7 points and 7 rebounds at the half. 

Dosunmo and Feliz both finished the game strong, Dosunmo finished with 21 points and Feliz had 11 rebounds to go along with 11 points, but they needed help elsewhere. The Illini stumbled out of the half and never seemed to get in a rhythm, scoring just 26 second-half points compared to the 37 they had in the first.  Credit to the Buckeyes for making adjustments on both sides of the ball as they were in control the entirety of the half, but this is a huge missed opportunity for the Illini. They still have a chance to improve their seeding for March Madness when they meet No. 18 Iowa on Sunday. A deep run in the Big Ten tournament is also vital, but neither of the next two obstacles is going to be easy. If the Illini can play a complete team-game, the possibilities are endless for them in March.

Up Next

The Illini travel back home to play Iowa, Sunday at 6 pm.