Illinois played their third game of the season against a ranked team, visiting Eugene to take on the #9 Oregon Ducks. After a fierce first half where both teams had their moments, the Illini opened the throttle in the second half, making 10 threes in the second period alone en route to what was ultimately a blowout 109-77 win.
Illinois Left No Doubt In a Massive Road Game Against Oregon
Illinois have had their fair share of struggles away from home this season, dropping a close game against Northwestern in Chicago and giving up 100 points to a fantastic Alabama team on a neutral site. Illinois held the advantage through most of the game on Thursday, getting early offense from Tre White, Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, and Ben Humrichous. Freshman star Kasparas Jakučionis was held scoreless in the first half, but the rest of the team rallied to make up for his slow start. Jakučionis still impacted the game on both ends, getting a steal and continuing to set up teammates, but his time to shine did not come until the second period.
Outside of a few turnovers, Jakučionis was nearly flawless in the second half. Piling up 16 points on a hyper-efficient 67.34% true shooting and 5 more assists, the budding Lithuanian star showcased everything that makes him likely to be a top 5 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. The game often looks too easy for Jakučionis, who can usually get to wherever he wants to on the floor, whether he is looking to set up teammates or take it himself. Fancy passes, high-level shot-making, and overall smooth operation define his game.
This between the legs assist was NASTY 🔥 @IlliniMBB pic.twitter.com/EmlocQEXpr
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 3, 2025
In addition to Jakučionis, most of the team had great individual performances. Six total players ended in double-figures. The aforementioned White led the way with 20 and added 11 rebounds. White has been a great wing player for the Illini this year. Even sophomore Jake Davis, who has only scored 14 this season, erupted for 12 on the night with 2 made threes.
Unable to stop the bleeding from three, Oregon was helpless in the second half as Illinois ended the game shooting 55..2% from deep. Humrichous simply described the game as simply “a ton of fun.” It was one of those nights where many of the Illini players would be disappointed to hear the final whistle instead of being able to keep shooting.
Made history and had fun doing it.
The Illini’s 32-point margin of victory is the most against any AP Top-10 team on the road.#IlliniPerformanceStat x #InvescoQQQ pic.twitter.com/vUsXbfsSdc
— Illinois Men’s Basketball (@IlliniMBB) January 3, 2025
Head Coach Brad Underwood Wants to Keep the Momentum Going
Following another great shooting performance, head coach Brad Underwood spoke to reporters postgame and highlighted his team’s ability to keep stacking positive performances and build collective momentum. Illinois are a team with one of the highest ceilings in the nation when they play their best. Underwood’s job is to make sure that the team continues to meet their high standards and, when they encounter adversity, power through the tough stretches.
Everything in our program, I say this one hundred times, is when they don’t go in, we got to find a way to win. Tonight they went in, and I think that showed kind of the explosion that we can have.
Underwood pointed to the reasons that his team was able to shoot so effectively. Quality shot selection, not forcing the ball, and making the easy play all help every player get the shots they need. The bench players played inspired and gave the team a lot of energy, especially as Jakučionis struggled early. They leaned on each other, and the collective performance demonstrates how connected this team is and how important it is that they continue to play together. Up next for Illinois is another west coast showdown against an upstart Washington Huskies team that just pulled off an upset win over Maryland.
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