Illini Get Revenge on Nebraska, 71-64
By Jeff Mayfield

[February 04, 2019]  As a fan you can tolerate mistakes when the team’s overall effort is so outstanding it almost makes you overlook them. Saturday’s 71-64 victory over the Huskers was just such a game.

To be sure, the Illini struggled in some aspects of the game. They got overwhelmed on the boards and lost the rebounding battle 50-36, including giving up an almost unheard of 21 offensive rebounds. Then the Illini converted only 9 of 23 free throws [this is not a misprint]. And that’s not even the whole story. Four Illini players missed two fts at a time in the last 1:30 of action that would have gone a long way towards keeping my blood pressure down-8 missed free throws in the last minute or two of a Big 10 game can usually spell disaster, especially at home. And I won’t spend any time even writing about mental mistakes.

And here’s why. I loved the Fighting Illini’s effort for most of the 40 minutes of this game. One example was Illinois’ lockdown defense for most of the game. Talk about an improvement from earlier in the season? Illinois got in Nebraska’s kitchen and hounded their guards, choking them to the point that they could hardly make entry passes into the post. It was brutal, rugged, ferocious Big 10 defense and it was great to see the Illini shut somebody down. Illinois held Nebraska to 36% shooting for the game including a woeful 13% from 3-point range. That kind of defensive effort can win you a few games!

Want another aspect of great effort, take Kipper Nichols for example? Here’s a fan favorite who has really struggled the last month of the season. He has disappeared from the stat sheet and from the court. How’d he do Saturday? Well, all he did was lead the team with 18 huge points! And even though Ayo Dosunmu (who had 13 points) and Trent Frazier (who had 11 points) didn’t have as many or more than Kip, they hit big, timely shots that created an edge for Illinois.

I always tell my son to play with a cushion, just in case the rims aren’t friendly late and this game was a perfect example. By the way, the Illini followed my script as the bench out-scored the Huskers’ bench 36-4!

Another example was Adonis De La Rosa. He only tallied 5 points, but he is such a big, physical presence out there, that I can’t imagine any league player enjoys getting pounded on by him. And he served noticed to the offensive-board minded Huskers that it wouldn’t be easy with him on the floor.

I could continue to write about all the outstanding effort players and play on Saturday but suffice it to say it’s all a part of the great journey every season holds in store. I’m not saying we’re ready to take down the league leading Michigan State Spartans, who just happen to be coming to town Tuesday night for a 6pm tip; but why not? Yes they’re big and physical, but we’re quick, agile and can hit some shots. It’s not out of the question. That’s how far this team has come. That’s what intense effort can do for you! Revenge is a delicious dish!

[By JEFF MAYFIELD]

Respond to the writer at [e-mail].