Basketball
Illinois Basketball: Previewing the Illini’s test vs Texas Tech
Illinois basketball takes on its first test of the season in Lubbock, Texas.
Illinois basketball has looked every bit like a top-five team through the first two games of the season. The new-look Illini offense is #1 in the country for a reason. They have scored points in bunches, moved the basketball, and shown off the offensive versatility that makes them a difficult matchup for just about anybody. But Tuesday night in Lubbock will present a different kind of challenge.
No. 3 Illinois (2-0) travels to face No. 19 Texas Tech (2-0) in its toughest test of the young season. While Illinois has a size advantage in the frontcourt, two other matchups could ultimately determine the outcome: defending Texas Tech’s ball-screen offense and maintaining the fast pace the Illini have established.
The Ball-Screen Challenge
Texas Tech relies heavily on ball screens to create separation for its guards, attack downhill and force defenses into difficult decisions. Once the defense collapses, the Red Raiders have capable perimeter shooters ready to take advantage.
For Illinois basketball, this will be an early test of its defensive speed, communication, and ability to recover.
We’ve seen this year’s defense use aggressive ball-screen hedges, asking its big men to step out and temporarily disrupt the ball handler. It’s an effective approach, but it requires everyone to be on the same page. When the big hedges, the defense is temporarily vulnerable. The guard must recover, the big has to get back to his original assignment, and the remaining defenders must communicate and cover the openings.
Against Texas Tech’s athletic guards, that recovery won’t be easy. Can Illinois’ bigs hedge and get back quickly enough? Can the guards fight through screens? And can the backside defenders rotate before the Red Raiders find an open shooter? Those are the possessions worth watching.
How Fast Can Illinois Play?
Another fascinating part of Tuesday’s matchup will be the pace.
Underwood has made it clear he wants this Illinois basketball team to play fast. He’s even suggested he would love to see the Illini reach 90 possessions per game. Through two games, Illinois has shown it’s comfortable pushing the tempo, scoring quickly and using its depth to keep pressure on opponents.
Texas Tech, however, has the athleticism to run with Illinois. This isn’t a team that will necessarily be overwhelmed by an up-and-down game.
The difference will be whether Illinois can play fast without becoming careless. There is a difference between playing with pace and simply playing in a hurry. The Illini must continue getting quality shots and taking care of the basketball while avoiding easy transition opportunities for the Red Raiders.
A Good Early Measuring Stick
Former Illini guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, who averaged 20.7 points at UNLV last season, gives Texas Tech another scoring threat. Donovan Atwell is also worth watching after making a school-record 130 three-pointers last season.
Without JT Toppin, who scored 35 points against Illinois in last year’s 81-77 Illini victory, Texas Tech will rely even more heavily on its perimeter players.
Illinois has the size to create problems inside with Tomislav Ivišić and Zvonimir Ivišić, but Tuesday’s game will test much more than its frontcourt. Can the Illini defend an athletic backcourt, recover out of ball screens and maintain the aggressive pace Underwood wants?
The season is still young, but a road win in Lubbock would tell us quite a bit about just how good this Illinois team can be.
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