Illinois Basketball: Key Takeaways After Win Over Wiscosnin

Illinois Basketball Veterans Step Up in Win

#illini Brad Underwood on Tre White: “I just hadn’t done a very good job of coaching him and putting him in the right spots. To his credit, unbelievable teammate and his defense hasn’t wavered. Tonight, he stepped up and met the challenge.”

FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/0X0PMi7a4p pic.twitter.com/6QaJIFPLEE

— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) December 11, 2024

One of the major issues in the loss to Northwestern was the performance of Illinois’ veterans. Tre White, Kylan Boswell, and Ben Humrichous combined for a disappointing 6-23 shooting performance in that game.

Illinois basketball rebounded in a major way as Tre White was a standout. After playing only 15 minutes against Northwestern, Coach Underwood admitted that the decision was a mistake. White responded by playing 29 minutes in this game, and he was exceptional. He brought energy to the game, especially on the glass, pulling down eight rebounds and scoring a season-high 23 points. Additionally, White was an outstanding 9-10 from the free throw line, helping the Illini close out the game.

Kylan Boswell also had his best game in an Illinois uniform. Playing 33 minutes, Boswell contributed 19 points and six assists. Beyond his offensive production, he was key defensively. White and Boswell were key in keeping Badgers star, John Tonje, to just 5 of 15 from the field.

Why Does Brad Underwood Continue to Ride Ben Humrichous?

#illini Brad Underwood: “I know everyone is talking about Ben Humrichous… but he’s been our top graded defender six out of our first seven games.”

Underwood defends Illinois’ senior after beating the Wisconsin Badgers. Before tonight, Ben averaged 9 points and made 37% of his… pic.twitter.com/8cKoH9rM9k

— Carson Gourdie (@GourdieReport) December 11, 2024

Ben Humrichous continues to struggle, particularly with his shooting. He went 1-5 from the floor, with all of his attempts coming from beyond the arc. Perhaps more concerning was his lack of impact on the boards, as he only grabbed one rebound. Humrichous also allowed several offensive rebounds from Wisconsin, which cannot happen, especially from a veteran player, even though he is new to Big Ten basketball.

After the game, Coach Brad Underwood reaffirmed his confidence in Humrichous, noting that he has graded out as the team’s best defender. One particular note is the lack of playing time for Notre Dame transfer, Carey Booth.  Booth has played zero minutes in back-to-back Big Ten games, which is surprising given his potential. It seems he may be behind Jake Davis in the rotation.

On paper, Booth offers several benefits. He can knock down three-pointers and has length, which could provide much-needed rim protection for the Illinois basketball team. Booth may come in handy as the season goes on. Ivisic has averaged 32.3 minutes per game in the last three contests. Can Ivisic handle that workload with such a daunting Big Ten conference season?

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