No. 3 Illinois suffered an 84-78 defeat against No. 16 Texas Tech after surrendering a 20-point first-half deficit on Tuesday in Lubbock, Texas, while No. 2 Duke fell 79-73 to No. 5 Michigan State in the Champions Classic.
Cruz Davis Drives Stock up Amid Illinois Depth Concerns
- Stock Rising: Cruz Davis cemented his role after a 20-point outing, offering high-value production for managers tracking breakout scorers.
- Depth Chart Warning: Illinois’ reliance on young players due to injuries for David Mirković and Jake Davis creates youth on the court.
- Market Shift: Duke’s offensive struggles against Michigan State’s defense signal a need for caution when backing the Blue Devils against upcoming opponents like UConn and Illinois.
First-Half Deficits Doom Fighting Illini
Brad Underwood thought No. 3 Illinois showed “resilience” and “bounce-back” ability Tuesday night in its first road test in a hostile early-season environment at No. 16 Texas Tech, the Chicago Tribune reported. But the Illini also showed they have a lot to learn after the Red Raiders built a huge first-half lead and never trailed in an 84-78 victory over Illinois.
Illinois trailed by as many as 22 points in the first half and was behind 49-29 at halftime. Underwood said during his postgame news conference that he thought the Illini “melted” under pressure early.
“I thought their guards controlled the first half,” Underwood said.
Illinois came back to make it competitive by limiting second-half turnovers and increasing defensive aggression on ball screens. Senior wing Andrej Stojaković had 14 of his 18 points in the second half, and freshman guard Quentin Coleman had 14 of his 19 to help the Illini challenge Texas Tech.
Cruz Davis dropped 20 and Texas Tech knocked off No. 3 Illinois, on the same night No. 2 Duke went down. No. 16 Texas Tech won 84-78 at home, led by as many as 22, and Illinois never led at all. Jamichael Stillwell added 11 points and 13 rebounds as the Red Raiders won the…
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Free Throws and Rebounding Decide the Matchup
The Chicago Tribune said that free-throw shooting and rebounding proved fatal to the comeback bid. Illinois made 8 of 19 free throws, while Texas Tech outrebounded the visitors 43-32, including an 18-10 advantage on the offensive glass.
“We’re getting shoved,” Underwood said, according to the Chicago Tribune. “We’re not hitting anybody. We’re just standing. Guys aren’t chasing. … Fifty-four percent of the shots they take are from 3. So long shots equal long rebounds, and we just continue to run in. We have balls hit our hands. We don’t snag ’em. It’s hard to win.”
With Mirković recovering from foot surgery and Davis sidelined following shoulder surgery, Illinois relied heavily on youth alongside senior center Tomislav Ivišić, who finished with 14 points, six rebounds, and three assists.
Marquee Results Across College Hoops
| Winning Team | Score | Losing Team | Key Performer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State (No. 5) | 79-73 | Duke (No. 2) | |
| Texas Tech (No. 16) | 84-78 | Illinois (No. 3) | Cruz Davis (20 pts) |
| Florida (No. 1) | 81-72 | Florida State | |
| Vanderbilt | 105-81 | Memphis | Ace Glass III (23 pts) |
No. 5 Michigan State handed No. 2 Duke a 79-73 loss in the Champions Classic.
Duke's schedule increases in difficulty next month with matchups against UConn and Illinois, testing Scheyer's squad early.
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