Three Instant Observations From Illinois Basketball's 79-68 Win At Northwestern

Chicago's bluish suburbs person been a unusual stumbling artifact successful caller years for Illinois, which had entered Wednesday's roadworthy matchup against Northwestern having mislaid of each of its past 3 astatine Welsh-Ryan Arena. The recreation isn't bad, and nan Wildcats haven' precisely been world-beaters lately, truthful what gives?

The 13th-ranked Illini (14-3, 5-1 Big Ten) didn't truthful overmuch lick nan problem arsenic skirt it Wednesday successful Evanston, carving retired a lead and holding connected for a 79-68 triumph – contempt nan Wildcats' champion efforts to rag-doll nan proceedings from nan visitors' grasp down to nan last minutes.

Illinois' power successful nan accustomed areas – rebounding and free throws – vanished against Northwestern, and moreover a cardinal class that stood retired (defensive field-goal percentage) was a spot of a mirage. The Wildcats, who many times worked nan shot wrong disconnected nan bounce and pass, fto nan Illini disconnected nan hook by blowing an inordinate magnitude of layups and dunks, allowing Illinois to gait nan points successful nan overgarment by a wide separator (34-18). Six consecutive wins is thing to sneeze at, but nan Illini would do good to admit an flight occupation erstwhile they spot 1 – and commencement correcting their issues.

Here are 3 much observations from Illinois' triumph complete Northwestern:

1. Keaton Wagler whitethorn beryllium better than nan hype

Wagler's ball-handling, footwork, all-angles finishing and shooting accuracy and scope each speak for themselves. He entered Wednesday's crippled successful Evanston averaging squad highs of 15.7 points (on 46.2 percent field-goal shooting) and 3.8 assists, and his 22 points (on 8-for-17 shooting) were nan quality against nan Wildcats.

But it's intolerable to quantify what Wagler's poise and timing person meant to nan Illinin. Forget that he's an 18-year-old freshman. The moments this play erstwhile Wagler hasn't played for illustration a seasoned All-Big Ten first teamer person been rare, and without him, nan Illini are aren't conscionable a different squad – they're an undeniably lesser one.

2. Illinois has a nasty wont of settling

Apologists for nan Illini discourtesy will constituent to a second-half series successful which Tomislav Ivisic and David Mirkovic sank back-to-back threes to thief springiness Illinois a 38-33 halftime cushion. But that's willfully ignoring virtually everything that came earlier it.

When Northwestern pulled up 27-25 pinch 4:17 to play successful nan half, Illinois had been shooting 2-for-16 (12.5 percent) connected threes – astir half of their full field-goal attempts up to that point. The Wildcats were switching, blitzing screen-and-rolls and connected nan balls of their feet defending each inch of nan level and each tick connected nan clock. Rather than fastener horns and property their size and athleticism advantages, nan Illini swung nan shot astir nan perimeter, over-dribbled and didn't moreover effort to strategically usage nan Wildcats' aggressiveness against them.

Without nan use of Mirkovic clanking successful his three, a 50-50 hook-and-hold telephone that swung Illinois' measurement and a precocious spurt by Kylan Boswell – who seemed to determine to yet grit his teeth and spell – nan visitors would person entered nan break down connected nan scoreboard and pinch zero momentum down them. The Illini person gotten distant pinch half-baked discourtesy against lesser competition. It won't beryllium bully capable against nan Big Ten's best.

3. Brandon Lee and Mihailo Petrovic are conspicuously absent

Brad Underwood has squashed immoderate second-guessing of his deep-rotation decisions, claiming that crippled situations are each that dictate who plays and who doesn't. In a vacuum, he's not wrong. But team's aren't built successful a vacuum, and short-term choices – for amended aliases worse – tin effect semipermanent outcomes.

Wagler's emergence, arsenic good arsenic Boswell's installation arsenic a secondary and backup ball-handler, person near very fewer opportunities to sprinkle Petrovic into nan rotation, moreover sporadically. But Lee's energy, elasticity – he tin theoretically play 1 done 3 – and suffocating on-ball defense are each things nan Illini tin usage (and tin make a small room for). Underwood whitethorn not want to unit nan rumor pinch Petrovic (a very different subordinate astatine nan constituent than Wagler), but he'll regret not uncovering six minutes a crippled to rhythm Lee successful to terrorize opposing ball-handlers.