From Illinois Fighting Illini On SI · · 2m
Illinois Basketball Loss to Baylor
Illinois basketball's exhibition loss to Baylor highlights defensive struggles and freshman resilience.
In brief
Illinois basketball's exhibition loss to Baylor highlights defensive struggles and freshman resilience. Illinois basketball lost to Baylor in exhibition game despite strong second-half performance after poor first-half defense and offensive rebounding issues. Originally reported by Illinois Fighting Illini On SI.
Tale of Two Halves
Illinois basketball suffered a painful exhibition loss to Baylor with a disastrous first half that couldn't be overcome by a strong second half.
First Half Defense
Baylor's guard trio of Brett Decker Jr., Kayden Mingo and Isaac Williams IV outscored Illinois' entire team by 46 points against 44 in the first half.
Illinois Defense Failed
Illinois' defense took away nothing as Baylor's guards hit 10 threes and 7 two-pointers in the first half.
Defensive Rebounding
Illinois had 17 defensive rebounds versus Baylor's 22 offensive rebounds in the game.
Injuries
Illinois lost David Mirkovic to start the game and saw three other key players injured: Andrej Stojakovic, Tomislav Ivisic and Zvonimir Ivisic.
Two-Point Efficiency
Illinois went 15-for-34 (44.1 percent) from inside the arc with Stojakovic's slashing struggles.
Response to Adversity
Illinois rallied from a 19-point halftime deficit to score 32 points in the second half after Baylor's 63 first-half points.
Newcomers Flourish
Freshman Stefan Vaaks scored 18 points and Lincoln Williams created chaos with his size and athletic traits.
Offensive Rebounding
Illinois had 21 offensive rebounds despite only 17 defensive rebounds in the game.
Illinois Coaching
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood has expressed confidence in the team's defensive potential after the second half performance.
Freshman Impact
Freshmen Lincoln Williams and Quentin Coleman showed strong performance with Williams creating chaos and Coleman playing with all-out effort.
Illinois Defense
Illinois' defense remains a question mark on the perimeter with their top defensive personnel struggling.
Illinois Basketball
Illinois basketball lost to Baylor in exhibition game with defensive issues but strong second-half performance.
Illinois Team
Illinois basketball team showed resilience after poor first half with strong second half performance.
The bottom line
Illinois basketball lost to Baylor in exhibition game despite strong second-half performance after poor first-half defense and offensive rebounding issues.
