The Indiana men’s basketball team continued to struggle, suffering a significant 94-69 defeat at the hands of Illinois on Tuesday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. This loss marks Indiana’s second consecutive blowout defeat, following an 85-60 setback against Iowa just a few days prior. The Hoosiers (13-5, 4-3 Big Ten) have now experienced five losses this season, each by a margin of at least 16 points.
Illinois (13-4, 5-2 Big Ten) dominated the game from the start, leading by as much as 30 points in the first half and holding a commanding 60-32 lead at halftime. This 28-point deficit at halftime represents the largest for Indiana in the last 25 years, according to ESPN Stats and Information. The Fighting Illini took advantage of their shooting performance, hitting 48.8% of their shots and making 8 of 19 three-pointers while controlling the boards 29-18 by halftime.
As the second half began, a few moments of life ignited the crowd, as Indiana managed to cut the lead to 18 points. However, Illinois quickly responded with a 10-0 run, stretching their lead back to 30 points and quelling any momentum the Hoosiers had gained. Oumar Ballo, playing in his sixth year, led Indiana with 16 points and gathered an impressive 15 rebounds. Other notable performances included Luke Goode, who scored 13 points, Myles Rice with 12 points, and Trey Galloway contributing 10 points.
The game ended on a contentious note when Ballo was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul late in the game after an altercation with Illinois’s Tomislav Ivišić. This incident reflected a heated match, as several players were assessed technical fouls, and no postgame handshake occurred between the teams.
Throwing in further context, Indiana’s shooting woes were evident as they finished the game at just 38.5% from the field and 22.2% from beyond the arc, compared to Illinois’s robust 40% shooting percentage and 11 three-pointers made. Indiana will look to regroup and bounce back on Friday when they face Ohio State at 8 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio, seeking to turn their fortunes around amidst these challenging times.
This moment serves as a crucial turning point for the Hoosiers as they navigate through a difficult stretch, emphasizing the importance of resilience and teamwork as they prepare for their next game.