Following a nail-biting win against Ohio and a hard-fought loss to Baylor, the Fighting Illini had something to prove heading into this week’s games.
As I was watching the ACC/Big Ten Challenge coverage, the consensus position was this: If Illinois is the Final Four-caliber team it hopes to be, these are the types of games it needs to win. Well...this may not mean that the Illini will be cutting down nets in March, but Illinois rose to the occasion Tuesday night.
Illinois led by 14 at halftime and was ahead by as many as 19 in the second half en route to a decisive and satisfying 83-68 victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium.