2023-24 illinois #1

Michigan took the floor at Crisler Center tonight looking to build some momentum after defeating Ohio State on Monday, playing host to a ranked Illinois team. The two sides battled through a back-and-forth first half, one that saw Michigan whittle the gap down to a single point at halftime. If you were expecting an inspired second half to finish off a signature win at that point, you didn't get it. The Wolverines were bullied on the glass by a more talented, more physical, and hungrier opponent as Illinois outscored Michigan 51-37 in the second half, grabbing firm control around the halfway mark and never letting Michigan get close again en route to a 15 point road win. Michigan is now 7-11 on the year and is 2-5 in B1G play. 

The visiting Illini came out hot, watching Michigan score the game's opening points but then quickly cobbling together an 11-0 run to give them a solid lead. Coleman Hawkins foreshadowed what would be a strong night for him by dropping in a layup and a three to help build that lead, but Michigan began to tug back. They'd cut the Illinois lead down to 20-15 by the midway point of the first half and then trimmed it to just one thanks to an Olivier Nkamhoua fadeaway and a Will Tschetter tap-in. The game to this point was high scoring, few turnovers either way and both teams doing well on the offensive glass. 

The teams traded scores down the stretch in the first half, Illinois maintaining a narrow lead until Michigan made its final push before the intermission. Tarris Reed Jr. scored on a lay-in to make it 35-31, which was followed by Dug McDaniel and Jaelin Llewellyn tying up the ball to turn over Illinois, showing a bit of fire in the process. Using that energy, Michigan owned the final minute. Dug McDaniel knocked down a jumper down, Michigan forced a missed shot by Ty Rodgers and grabbed the defensive rebound, and then Llewellyn converted on a three while being fouled. Llewellyn missed the free throw that would've tied it, but Michigan was content to go into the break down 37-36 after Marcus Domask's three at the horn was off the mark. 

[Marc-Gregor Campredon]

Michigan didn't tie it there, but they would do so just under 90 seconds into the second half, doing so on a McDaniel floater coming off a couple fancy crossovers. That made the score 38-38 but Illinois didn't waste any time to throw a punch. They launched a 10-2 run immediately after, Luke Goode and Hawkins pouring in threes to spring Illinois. Michigan responded with a 7-0 run of their own, Nkamhoua canning a three and finishing in tight after a sweet assist from a penetrating McDaniel. Illinois led 48-47 at that point, some six minutes into the second half. 

Just as Michigan's response run ended, Illinois responded to the response, a 10-0 run of their own. It started with an and-one up-and-under layup by Justin Harmon, who hit the free throw to complete the three-point play. Michigan came down the court and found Terrance Williams II for a wide-open corner three but the ice cold TWill missed the shot. Illinois rebounded it down, came up the court, handed the rock to the trailer Luke Goode, who knocked it down. Sometimes it's a make or miss sport. Two buckets in the paint followed while the Michigan offense sputtered, the latter being a transition dunk after Nkamhoua was swatted by Domask, and suddenly it was 58-47 Illinois. 

That 10-0 run was the swing moment of the game. Illinois built back to a double digit lead with it and after it concluded, Michigan never came within striking distance over the final 11.5 minutes of the contest. The Wolverines would have moments, but nothing coherent enough to tie the score. Their offensive problems plagued them around this juncture of the game, with the run eventually stretching to 17-2 in favor of Illinois and the lead 65-49 with 8:19 left. Over a six minute span between the 14 minute remaining mark and the 8 minute remaining mark, Michigan scored two points, a pair of free throws by Nimari Burnett. Grim. 

[AFTER THE JUMP: more recap]

Note: Wear White. Or don't. I have my doubts that this is going to work.

THE ESSENTIALS

WHAT	#72 Michigan (7-10, 2-4 B10) vs #12 Illinois (12-4, 3-2 B10)
WHERE	Crisler Center Ann Arbor, MI
WHEN	8:30 PM
THE LINE	Kenpom: ILL-5 Torvik: ILL-4
TELEVISION	FS1 (streaming link)

THE OVERVIEW

Michigan Basketball won a game, and football promptly lost JJ McCarthy to the NFL and Amorion Walker to Ole Miss (do not check those timelines). Such is the vibe around the hoops program, and has been so ever since Michigan's academic tweeds nixed Terrence Shannon's transfer. Illinois had no such compunctions about the hit to their academic reputation, but had as much trouble filling the other four starting roles with Players as Michigan did of finding someone to fill Shannon's shoes. The ridiculous but true narrative of last season for both squads was how unfortunate it was that they couldn't just combine forces.

The other narrative is Juwan Howard hasn't beaten Brad Underwood in six tries. Yes, of course they've come close; haven't you been watching?

Shannon returned to Champaign this year, and was off to a Kenpom PoY-type season until a rape allegation from a trip to Lawrence, KS, upended his season. Illinois has suspended him indefinitely while the case plays out, which is likely to take until the summer. Shannon vociferously denies the allegations, and sued his university over their decision to sit him. Given the publicly available information, only a complete partisan or a complete fool would opine on the case.

The only fact is Illinois has to play without one of the best players in college basketball, and 2023-'24 Michigan has another opportunity—after squandering the same at Oregon, versus Florida, and when hosting McNeese State, to get a major on-paper resume win on the cheap.

The Shannon-less and still PG-less Illini have been better than you'd expect. They routed Northwestern at home, were competitive at Purdue, beat a surging Michigan State. Last weekend they lost to Maryland at home, with slashing PG Jahmir Young and C Julian Reese accounting for 65 of their 76 points.

Michigan's victory over Ohio State seemed less repeatable. In the presence of the reunited Fab Five, the Wolverines hit 12/23 of their threes (Terrence Williams was 5/5), while the Buckeyes went 3/25. Unless you believe in the hoops-football juju, it was an oasis of good feels amidst a miserable season. On a non-holiday Thursday 8:30 game versus a non-rival and at most two Fabs in the building, Crisler's probably not going to be as alive. Which is unfortunate, because we've got some dudes worth rooting for on that court, and the darkest part of winter ahead.

[Hit THE JUMP for a PG who’s a center, wings who are PGs, and guys who are not Terrence Shannon.]