The Illini responded after their biggest loss of the season by dunking on the Ducks on Tuesday in Champaign
Entering Tuesday's game against Oregon having lost four of six, capped by last Friday's listless defeat at home against Michigan, No. 11 Illinois could have moped, pressed or gone any number of directions that would have put them farther afield of the prime directive: an epic March run.
Instead, the Illini barely blinked, playing with as much collective focus and aggression as they have displayed in weeks to down the Ducks 80-54 at the State Farm Center in Champaign. The Illini runout was delayed by yet another slow start, but at just under the 15-minute mark of the first half, they proceeded to punt those first handful of minutes into the sun. Down 9-3 after a Nate Bittle long ball, Illinois went on a 21-0 tear featuring shot-making, aggressive drives to the rim and the seemingly endless arms of 7-foot-3 rim protectorhad three three-point plays – including two old-school versions – and an assist to Big Z on a spectacular dunk that proved how just a bit of coordinated off-ball movement makes the Illini's record-breaking offense even more dangerous.On the other end, Oregon would have had better luck chucking the ball into the whirring propellors of a 747 than challenging Ivisic inside. Of course, the Ducks were flightless from the perimeter, too, and wound up being held without a bucket for 6:25 as Illinois took a back-breaking 24-9 lead. Illinois finished with an unimpressive shot sheet – 40.8 percent shooting from the floor and just 27.8 on threes – but overwhelmed Oregon with its rebounding and avoiding falling into a jump-shooting trap asThere have been stretches, halves and whole games in which Illinois launched threes from the perimeter simply because that strategy provided the path of least resistance. Some opponents were better equipped to stop it than others, and some nights those shots dropped more frequently than others, The difference can be almost imperceptible, but when the Illini avoid standing still, hot-potato the ball hunting for open teammates, feed their bigs inside, drive the lane and look for opportunities in transition, they can't help but create good looks all over the floor – including those beyond the arc. The Illini shot 7-for-15 in the first half before their touch eluded them after the break, but they only increased their lead because they maintained balance and pressedof their advantages anytime their size and activity led to one. The Ducks were powerless to stop everything. And when the Illini work together and are really in synch, so is everyone else.Illinois coach Brad Underwood said Stojakovic, Illinois' second-leading scorer, had been on a mission in practice every since going scoreless in 12 minutes against Michigan. Stojakovic wasn't the only Illini beaten down and locked up by the physical, athletic Wolverines, but he was certainly Exhibit A. That made his turnaround against Oregon all the more stark – and provided a reminder of Illinois' ceiling when he is cooking. Stojakovic repeatedly drove the lane on the Ducks, often on secondary-break opportunities before the defense was set. The result was a highlight reel of finishes around the rim and seven free-throw attempts. Thanks also goes to Wagler, who avoided dominating the ball and seemed to sense those moments when Stojakovic was poised to exploit a seam in the D.On defense, Ivisic was everything that Stojakovic was on the other side of the ball. Big Z finished with just two blocks, but it felt like 20. The Ducks were held to 21-for-64 shooting from the floor , spooked merely by the shadow of Ivisic – who finished with a plus-19 plus-minus figure in just 17 minutes. Wagler and three-point shooting may be Illinois' fuel cell most nights, but it won't threaten beyond the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament with Stojakovic working those driving lanes and Ivisic terrorizing opponents in the opposite lane.A former Illini manager-turned-walk-on, Redd has served the program faithfully in more ways than most ever do. One of three Illinois players making his final appearance at State Farm Center Tuesday – Senior Night in Champaign – Redd finally got the call to enter the game with about four minutes left, rose from the bench and got the ovation he deserved, the most raucous one of the night. That is, until roughly 30 seconds later when he hit the floor, and then again shortly after when the ball found him and, with 15,544 in attendance ready to lose their minds, he launched from the logo.The moment was more amusing than heartbreaking, as Underwood ripped Redd top pieces on the sideline while Redd tried to suppress a smile. All was forgiven moments later, when this happened:It was the first three-pointer of Redd's Illini career, which he followed with an impressive driving bucket a possession later and even got into the mix defensively, forcing an Oregon miss at the rim. He finished with a career-high five points, the ball in his hands and a beaming smile as the final seconds ticked away and his teammates rushed him at midcourt.Jason Langendorf has covered Illinois basketball, football and more for Illinois on SI since October 2024, and has covered Illini sports – among other subjects – for 30 years. A veteran of ESPN and Sporting News, he has published work in The Guardian, Vice, Chicago Sun-Times and many other outlets. He is currently also the U.S. editor at BoxingScene and a judge for the annual BWAA writing awards. He can be followed and reached on X and Bluesky @JasonLangendorf.Illinois' Brad Underwood Addresses Keaton Wagler's Shoulder Before Michigan Game
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