Indiana men’s basketball faced another challenging night, suffering a significant defeat against Illinois with a final score of 94-69 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. This loss marks the Hoosiers’ second consecutive game with a 25-point margin, following an 85-60 setback against Iowa just days prior. Throughout the season, Indiana has struggled, with each of its five losses this year coming by at least 16 points.
The game started poorly for the Hoosiers, who found themselves down by 30 points in the first half. Illinois dominated the opening period, leading 60-32 at halftime. This was the largest halftime deficit for Indiana in the past 25 seasons, as noted by ESPN Stats and Information. Illinois showcased impressive shooting, hitting 48.8% of their shots and making 8 of 19 from beyond the arc while out-rebounding Indiana 29-18.
In a surprising moment during the second half, the Hoosiers managed to energize their fans, cutting the deficit to 18 points. However, Illinois quickly responded with a decisive 10-0 run that restored their 30-point lead. Indiana’s sixth-year senior center, Oumar Ballo, stood out with 16 points and 15 rebounds. He was joined in scoring by senior forward Luke Goode with 13 points, redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice with 12, and fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway with 10 points. Unfortunately, Ballo’s night ended on a sour note, as he was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul late in the game during a scuffle.
The game concluded with a tense atmosphere, highlighted by a lack of postgame handshakes between players from both teams, with multiple technical fouls handed out during the match. Indiana struggled offensively, shooting only 38.5% from the field and 22.2% from three-point range, while Illinois finished the game with a strong 40% shooting performance and dominated the boards with a 51-37 margin.
Looking ahead, the Hoosiers will aim to bounce back as they face Ohio State at 8 p.m. on Friday in Columbus, Ohio. With determination and resilience, Indiana hopes to turn their fortunes around and regain momentum in the Big Ten conference.