2. Illini Defense is the Difference
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood believes this version of the Illini was built for the postseason, and if they defend at a high level, he thinks the sky is the limit. “When we guard like that, that’s what we can be,” Underwood said after his team’s win over Duquesne. “We did a lot of that early in the year, defensively, and I thought we smothered the two little guys.” Since Shannon Jr.’s return from suspension, Illinois has had one of the nation’s best offenses, but it has been the defense thus far in the NCAA Tournament, which is a reason for optimism that they can go further. The Illini held Morehead State to only 69 points and limited a hot Duquesne team to just 63 points in the Round of 32. Illinois has a lot of length versatility, and when they are locked in, they can be challenging to find good looks against.
