Illinois Basketball: Quentin Coleman, Andrej Stojakovic Shine in 105-96 Win Over Cincinnati

Illinois basketball turned Saturday night into a track meet, and Cincinnati struggled to keep up. The Illini poured in 105 points in a 105-96 exhibition win, showcasing an offense that looks capable of overwhelming opponents in transition. Andrej Stojakovic was nearly unstoppable in the open floor, while Quentin Coleman showed he might be the guy who makes this whole thing work.

With David Mirkovic sidelined, Illinois needed someone to help organize the half-court offense. Coleman looked ready for the job. He finished with 14 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, coming within striking distance of a triple-double in his first exhibition of the season.

Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Coleman gets one before the season is over.

The numbers were impressive, but his activity might have been even more noticeable. Coleman seemed to be around every loose ball, constantly finding ways to extend possessions and make something happen when a play broke down. He wasn’t simply waiting for the offense to come to him. He was hunting opportunities, creating for teammates and competing for possessions that often determine whether a team wins or loses a close game.

Quentin Coleman shined

With Mirkovic unavailable, Coleman appeared to shoulder much of the responsibility for initiating Illinois’ half-court offense. That’s an important role for a team still sorting out its offensive identity. Illinois has plenty of scoring options, but having a guard who can organize the offense and create opportunities for others gives Brad Underwood another valuable piece to work with.

Then there was Stojakovic, who looked like he wanted every possession to end before Cincinnati could get its defense set. The junior guard finished with 24 points, repeatedly putting pressure on the Bearcats in transition. When Illinois gets a rebound or forces a turnover, Stojakovic has the athleticism and scoring instincts to turn a routine possession into two points in a hurry.

That’s where this Illinois team could become especially dangerous. The Illini have the athletes to run, the guards to make plays, and enough scoring depth to punish defenses that can’t get back. Stojakovic looks perfectly suited for that style. Saturday offered an early glimpse of how quickly he can take over a game when the floor opens up.

The Supporting case shined

The supporting cast offered reasons for optimism, too. Stefan Vaaks scored 19 points, Ethan Brown added 15, and Illinois finished with six players in double figures. That’s a lot of offensive production to distribute, and Mirkovic’s eventual return should give the Illini another option to incorporate into an already crowded collection of weapons.

On a negative note, Zvonimir Ivisic had stretches where he looked uncomfortable and struggled to find his place in the flow of the game. His size and skill set give Illinois basketball a potentially valuable frontcourt option, but there were moments when the game appeared to move a little too quickly for him. It’s one exhibition, so there’s no reason to overreact, but he’ll need to look more settled as the competition improves.

The bigger concern came on the defensive end, particularly defending ball screens.

Illinois basketball struggled at times in drop coverage and also had issues when it experimented with hedging screens in the first half. The hedge can put pressure on a ball-handler, but it requires the big man to recover quickly before the offense finds an opening. Tomislav Ivisic had difficulty recovering at times, and Cincinnati found ways to exploit those breakdowns.

Jerrod Calhoun on Illinois: “Their offense is like nothing I’ve ever seen”

That’s the catch with this Illinois team. The offense looks capable of making opponents uncomfortable, but the defense has to give it a chance to win when the shots aren’t falling. Scoring 105 points is fun. Having to score 105 every night probably isn’t the plan.

Still, the first exhibition offered a glimpse of what makes this group interesting. Stojakovic looks dangerous when the floor opens up. Quentin Coleman showed he can influence a game in nearly every category, and Illinois has enough scoring depth to avoid leaning on one player every night.

The next step is cleaning up the defensive details. If Underwood can get the ball-screen coverage figured out and help his frontcourt settle in, Illinois could have an offense capable of giving Big Ten defenses headaches all winter.

I know Saturday was only an exhibition, but Coleman and Stojakovic gave Illinois basketball fans plenty to chew on.

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