Illini Take Another Positive Step, Beat Rutgers 99-94 in OT
By Jeff Mayfield

[February 11, 2019]  While Saturday’s game had the makings of a trap game; the Illini didn’t let it materialize.

In fact, in earlier games this season the Illini had several chances for some great wins in the closing minutes and some slipped through their fingers. Not today! Illinois took another very positive step forward as they didn’t get rattled but used poise and composure along with great coaching and play selection to get their third win a row, 99-94 over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in overtime.

There are lots of positives in Illinois’ arsenal right now. But before we unpack those let’s spend a moment giving props to the Knights. They executed and played about as well as a road team can at a difficult Big 10 venue. And our condolences go out to head coach Steve Pikiell, who’s mother died early Saturday morning. Having had a similar experience back in my coaching days at Lincoln, I can tell you what a brutal experience that is. So much so, that it is hard to write and talk about basketball when coach’s family has experienced such a devastating loss.

Be that as it may, Rutgers was terrific and IF they keep playing like that they will take down some giants along the way. Every time Illinois had a chance to pull away, Rutgers came right down on the next possession and hit a big shot of their own. The Knights had four players in double figures and usually when you have that much offensive firepower especially on the road you’re going to get the win. Luckily the Illini had just a little bit more.

I told you we liked Giorgi Bezhanishvili! Go back and look at our early season articles and you will get a sense of how much the LDN crew liked him from the start. But to say I saw an explosive offensive outburst on the horizon-no, I can’t say that. However, all Giorgi did was make a freshman record 35 points, to go along with 7 rebounds, a vicious blocked shot, and he led the chants in the State Farm Center as well.

People talked about how great of a performance it was for a freshman-heck, I’d say it was one of the best performances by any Illini player in that building’s history! And I’ve seen a few of them! Giorgi B. though had a lot of help. Trent Frazier continues his red-hot shooting of late by chipping in 17 big points, and Ayo Dosunmu stayed hot too with 12 points of his own. Aaron Jordan also had 10 points with Andres Feliz right behind with 9.

Both teams played extremely well offensively with the Illini shooting 49% from the field, but the Knights hit for 51%. Once again the Illini battled on the boards against the huge, physical Rutger’s bigs and were only slightly out-rebounded 39-43. Once again the Illini made up for it by forcing 15 Knight turnovers while only committing 11 themselves.

Any way you stack it up, Illinois has won 3 in a row and 4 of their last 5.

It will get considerably tougher in the days ahead as Illinois next must go to Ohio State and to Wisconsin. While those are certainly two of the toughest places to play in the league, the Illini are now giving us more than a glimpse of what they could be. The Illini will return home on Saturday Feb. 23rd to host Penn State.

[By JEFF MAYFIELD]

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