Close Menu
    Trending
    Wednesday, November 27

    IU basketball: Illinois at Indiana game day essentials

    Donald KaneBy IU Basketball 3 Comments
    Photo credit - IU Athletics

    Game Day Essentials:

    Illinois (17-8, 8-6) at No. 14 Indiana (18-8, 9-6)

    • Tip Time: 12:00 p.m. Eastern
    • Location: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222), Bloomington, Indiana
    • Television: ESPN (Brian Custer, Robbie Hummel, Myron Medcalf)
    • Stream: Watch ESPN
    • IU Radio Network: IU Radio Network
    • Point Spread: Indiana is a 5-point favorite
    • KenPom Projected Score: No. 20 Indiana 75 No. 24 Illinois 71
    • Series: Indiana leads 95-91. IU won last meeting 80-65 on Jan. 19, 2023

    More game coverage:

    Three keys from the first meeting:

    1. Illinois guarded Jackson-Davis how?  Indiana has seen double-teams on Trayce Jackson-Davis since he dropped 30 on Xavier in November.  But for whatever reason Illinois coach Brad Underwood was reluctant to help on IU’s star big man, and he paid dearly.  The senior forward dominated with 35 points on 15-of-19 shooting.  He started the game a perfect 9-of-9 from the field.  It was his career-high scoring output against a Big Ten opponent.
    2. A second straight solid defensive effort. Illinois started the game cold from the field, and while they made some runs, they never really got going.  Indiana was strong on the ball most of the night.  Illinois shot just 38.7 percent from the field and had just seven assists.  With solid defense, the Hoosiers were able to never let Illinois back to within eight points after building a 19-point first half lead.
    3. Paint domination. Indiana held a 54-32 points in the paint advantage and a 39-27 margin on the glass.  They shot 31-of-46 (67 percent) from 2-point range.  Meanwhile Illinois made just 16-of-43 (37 percent) from 2-point range.

    Illinois results and roster:

    At the end of December and into early January, Illinois lost two of three to put their record at 9-5 overall and 0-3 in the Big Ten.

    Since then, they are 8-3 and are tied for fourth in the conference.

    They have played six games against KenPom top 30 teams and are 3-3.

    Wins include vs. No. 3 UCLA and No. 9 Texas on neutral courts and vs. No. 27 Rutgers. The Illini lost to No. 17 Virginia on a neutral court, at No. 16 Maryland and vs. No. 20 Indiana.

    The Fighting Illini are 3-4 in true road games.

    Illinois Notes:

    • Illinois wraps up its week with consecutive road games, at No. 14 Indiana on Saturday (11 a.m. CT, ESPN).

    • Saturday begins a stretch of four games in nine days for the Illini.

    • Illinois is 4-2 against ranked opponents this season. The Illini have won 15 of their last 23 games vs. Top 25 teams,          including three straight (vs. No. 2 Texas-Dec. 6, No. 14 Wisconsin-Jan. 7, No. 24 Rutgers-Feb. 11).

    • Illinois has won eight of its last 11 games, compiling four- and three-game win streaks during this stretch.

    • Illinois has won two straight in Bloomington, winning at Assembly Hall in back-to-back seasons for the first
    time since 2009 and 2010. Illinois has not won three in a row at Indiana since 1988-1989-1990.

    • Illinois is coming off a 93-81 defeat at Penn State. The Illini have bounced back with a win following each of
    its previous seven losses this season. Illinois has not lost consecutive games since Jan. 17-21, 2022.

    • Illinois is the Big Ten’s winningest team in league play over the last four years, with 52 total wins and 23 road wins.

    • Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks third in the country in blocked shots, averaging 5.8 bpg. The Illini’s cur-
    rent total of 145 blocks is just 18 away from breaking the school single-season record of 162, set in 1978-79.

    • Illinois has allowed an average of just 59.0 points (472) in its Big Ten wins, holding all eight opponents below
    the 70-point mark. The Illini have given up an average of 78.7 points (472) in its Big Ten losses, however, with
    all six opponents topping 70 points.

    • All eight of Illinois’ Big Ten wins have been by at least nine points.

    Illinois 2022-23 KenPom Highlights:

    Tempo – No. 64 (Offense No. 81 / Defense No. 141)

    Offensive Efficiency – No. 47

    • Illinois’ effective field goal percentage of 52.4 percent is No. 88 nationally. They are No. 14 nationally in two-point percentage (56.4) and rank No. 307 in three-point percentage (31.3).
    • The Illini are good at giving themselves multiple possessions to score, getting offensive rebounds on 33.2 percent of possessions, No. 40.
    • Turnovers have been a problem, as the Illini cough it up on 19.0 percent of possessions, No. 229.
    • Illinois likes to shoot from deep, as three-point attempts account for 42.8 percent of field goal attempts, No. 52.

    Defensive Efficiency – No. 28

    • Illinois ranks No. 16 in overall opponent effective field goal percentage (45.6), including No. 107 in three-point percentage (32.7) and No. 9 in two-point percentage (44.0).
    • The Illini contest every shot, as opposing teams get blocked on 14.6 percent of possessions, No. 7.
    • Closing out to the three-point line is something Illinois is pretty good at, as three-point attempts account for just 31.4 percent of opponent field goal attempts, No. 26.
    • Illinois doesn’t give up a lot of offensive rebounds.  Opponents grab just 26 percent, No. 74.

    The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”

    Keep Reading