Illini Disappoint in Opener
By Jeff Mayfield

[December 31, 2015]  CHAMPAIGN-URBANA - The Illinois Fighting Illini got the Big Ten potion of their schedule started on a real downer suffering a 78-68 loss to the Michigan Wolverines Wednesday afternoon at home. The Illini are down a couple of players due to injury and appear to be out-manned in a roster comparison, but no one is going to feel sorry for them. Illinois will need several players to step-up just to remain competitive.

Kendrick Nunn did all he could scoring 20 points and pulling down 6 rebounds and Jalen Coleman-Lands added 13. Other than that, the Illini didn’t have much in the stats to write about. Michigan out-rebounded the Illini 38-27, out-scored them in the paint 38-24, and out-scored them off the bench 29-8. Those stats alone are way too much to overcome.

Mark Donnal scored 26 points and Caris Lavert scored 22 as the only Michigan players to reach double figures but as you see above the damage was already done. They also shot 48% for the game and 42% from distance and that kind of shooting will win lots of road games for you.

The Illini needed to find some way to pull off the upset here as they now go on the road for games at Ohio State and Michigan State before coming home to host Purdue and Nebraska. Hopefully the road trip will give the Illini a great opportunity to bond and find themselves before they get too deep into the season.

The Illini will play the Buckeyes Sunday afternoon in Columbus, OH.

[By JEFF MAYFIELD]

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