Thoughts on an 80-64 victory over Illinois:
CHICAGO — Two D.J. Richardson free throws closed the gap to 60-52 with 8:17 to go, and you wondered: Would it happen again? Would the Illini make a late charge like they did all those weeks ago in Champaign and make a game of it after the Hoosiers had controlled it for so long?
Nope. Not this time, not this team. It was as close as Illinois would get the rest of the way, as Indiana simply wouldn’t allow for a collapse. It finished the game on a 20-12 run — enough for a comfortable 16-point victory and punctuated with a breakaway #nomee 360-degree slam from Victor Oladipo, who shut down a whining Brandon Paul (2-of-13) and posted yet another double-double (12 points, 11 boards).
Both teams would have difficulty adjusting to the United Center’s sight lines to begin the contest. By the second TV timeout, the Hoosiers and Illini were only a combined 5-of-19 from the floor. At half, the teams combined to shoot only 2-of-14 from distance. It was also a bit of a slopfest; they combined for 19 turnovers. But the Hoosiers were able to take a 14-point lead (35-21) into the break because of their ability to score at the cup (18 points in the paint) and get to the line (10-of-12) — accounting for 28 of their 35 first half points. Indiana also put on a defensive clinic and held the Illini to just a 7-of-27 (25.9 percent) shooting from the floor.
Things opened up a bit for both team’s in the second half, which allowed Illini that run to cut the gap to eight. But by game’s end, the Hoosiers held U of I to under a point per possession (.96), just about what the Hoosiers’ defense averaged in league play (.98).
Cody Zeller is dominant in his own right, but against Illini’s weak frontline, he feasted all game long and was efficient in the process — a 9-of-11 performance for 24 points. He would post a perfect 6-of-6 line from the line and find Will Sheehey — who was strong offensively for a second straight game (11 points, 4-of-4) — on a nifty back door cut in the first half. His afternoon would not be without fault, though, as he did record four of Indiana’s 16 turnovers. The Hoosiers turned the ball over on 21.3 percent of their possessions.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — After leading by 14 points on two separate occasions, Indiana couldn’t hold on Thursday night at Assembly Hall and the No. 1 Hoosiers dropped their second conference game 74-72 to Illinois. The loss moved IU into a three-way tie with Michigan and Michigan State for the Big Ten lead.
No. 1 Indiana was outscored 13-2 down the stretch Thursday night, so the game’s final play certainly wasn’t the only reason the Hoosiers fell 74-72 at Illinois. But since it was what ultimately ended the game, let’s take a closer look at the way Illinois scored the deciding two.
