Lincoln, neb. (AP) – The Illinois overturned his list after having made a race for the Elite Eight, and coach Brad Underwood knew that there would be ups and downs who sail in the season with the biggest team Power Four.
Illini, 18th (14-7, 6-4 Big Ten), struck an approximate patch. Their 80-74 Loss of overtime at Nebraska Thursday evening, their fourth setback in six games.
They started 12-3, with One of the losses in the Non. 8 alabama And An exasperant to the final buzzer at the time. 1 Tennessee. Three weeks ago, they were classified n ° 13, and Underwood told journalists that his team was able to do another deep race in the playoffs.
“It’s frustrating for me,” he said after the defeat against Nebraska, “because I know where we can be and what we arrived.”
The Illini played three consecutive games without the second year center of 7 feet 1 inch and 255 pounds Tomislav Ivisic, which is indefinitely with mononucleosis. He is the second top scorer of the team at 13 points per game and the best rebounder at 8.5 per game. The most 6-9, 255 pounds, Morez Johnson Jr. started in the place of Ivisic.
“It’s great for sure,” said second year goalkeeper Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn about the absence of ivisic. “Tomi is a great player. It is one of our starting guys, one of our best players for sure. It is not an excuse. We must have the mentality of the next step. »»
Kasparas Jakucionis, the first year of the first year of the first year, missed two games earlier this month with a left wrist injury. He is the top scorer with 15.9 points per game and he has a team record 37.5% on 3 points.
Will Riley, another promising first year student, obtained the flu and did not play much in a defeat of 91-70 against Maryland last week.
“I don’t know when we will be whole again,” said Underwood. “Tomi is a big piece of what we are doing and Morez was getting that. We have defense n ° 1 in the country when these two are on the ground together.
“You have 7-1, 250 and undoubtedly our second best shooter – perhaps our best shooter now – out of alignment. And we know how he can go. We have to come back.
The programming shuffle disturbed the offense. They drew 25% from 3 points (48 out of 190) and have an average of 13 reversals in the last six games.
Underwood has said that many turnover is inexcusable because they are the result of players who do not take into account screening reports and force poorly advised passes. Against Nebraska, several passes were thrown into the defense teeth.
“Growing up.,” Said Underwood, his voice rising. “I would like to have an explanation. We had four screening reports (turnover) where we told our guys that you will not launch the Basic pass, and we have continuously tried to do this this evening was very unusual towards us from the point of view of the screening report, making these turnover.
Thursday started a section of three of the four games on the road over 10 days. Illini Ohio State host on Sunday, then visit Rutgers and Minnesota. These three teams are below .500 in game Big Ten.
“I have the impression that with this team, we are going to go to our little collapses,” said Riley. “We are very young. I have the impression that we become more consistent over the days. We are on the next game. We will go out with high intensity and high effort. »»
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