The Biggest Surprise of Illinois Basketball's Early Season?

The Illini's top-rated defense has been perhaps its greatest strength through 10 games

Dec 6, 2024; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Ben Humrichous (3) defends Northwestern Wildcats center Matthew Nicholson (34) during the second half at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images / David Banks-Imagn Images

Back in October, Illinois coach Brad Underwood had a concern.

He knew he had big bodies, athleticism and plenty of scoring across the lineup, so Underwood knew offense wouldn’t be a problem. (Try not to smirk at that one.)

But he had a lot of doubts about his young Illini on the other end.

In fact, he went so far as to say, “Right now, a seventh-grade middle school team might hang 100 on us.”

Exaggerate much, coach?

Regardless of how outlandish that statement was – and especially seems now – it was crystal-clear that it was his team's defensive performance that kept him up nights, with only the thought of “positional size and shooting” to soothe him to sleep.

But a month and a half into the season, the offense – especially the shooting Underwood and others raved about in the offseason – has been below average at best (32.4 percent on 3-pointers).

While the offense has faltered, however, Illinois’ defense has been – no exaggeration – phenomenal.

Currently, the Illini rank 13th in the country in defensive efficiency according to KenPom, which, if it held, would be Illinois' second-highest mark during Underwood’s tenure.

So with the defensive doubts that were so prevalent heading into the season all but vanquished, it begs the question: How? Here are your answers:

Kylan Boswell

A true shutdown guard eases the burden on an entire defense, and that’s exactly what Illinois has in Boswell. Whether it was holding Alabama’s preseason All-American Mark Sears to zero points, Arkansas’ Boogie Fland to eight points on 2-for-12 shooting or Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier to a 5-for-17 showing from the field, Boswell has proven himself to be one of the best on-ball perimeter defenders in the country. 

Boswell doesn't just make it difficult for opposing players to finish and score; he hounds them to the point that even initiating the offense can be a nightmare. And when that happens, opponents aren’t able to prompt the Illini to rotate, force long closeouts or draw two. And when an offense does none of those things, scoring in the halfcourt becomes practically impossible.

A look at the tremendous defense of Kylan Boswell-- two steals tonight, the second one here turning into offense quickly.@BamBam_Boz @CoachUnderwood pic.twitter.com/TVYrN2haOa

— Glenn Kinley (@glenn_kinley) December 11, 2024

KYP

Know Your Personnel. At the Division I level, everyone watches film, everyone scouts. But does everyone act on it and put that scouting report to use? No.

But Illinois certainly does.

Just ask Tennessee’s Igor Milicic Jr. The senior forward has proven himself as an outside threat (career 34.7 percent on 3s), but he was in a slump to start the season.

So what did the Illini do?

Let him shoot.

And shoot he did, as Milicic put up eight 3s – and hit none. He wasn't the only one left open. The Illini all but begged Jahmai Mashack (28.6 percent on the season) to shoot, and he still wouldn't oblige. But for Illinois, the outcome served the same purpose.

Whether it was Ben Humrichous, Tre White or Tomislav Ivisic, Illini defenders were able to dig into the paint and offer help at the rim, deterring drives and any attempts at or around the bucket. The result? The Volunteers shot a season-low 20-for-62 (32.3 percent) from the field, mustering only 66 points.

Luck

Yes, Underwood and his staff clearly have their guys well-prepared. But a certain amount of fortuitousness has to be acknowledged. Illinois holding opponents to a measly 26.4 percent shooting on 3s (eighth in the nation) is tied largely to its thorough scouting and stellar execution. At the same time, the Illini have had their fair share of defensive breakdowns, leading to some wide-open looks. In general, opponents haven't knocked them down. But it’s inevitable that, at some point, someone will. A bit more consistency will be required to prevent a hot hand or two from at least occasionally shooting the Illini out of the building.

Yet through 10 games, no team has shot better than 34.5 percent on 3s against Illinois – a clear sign that Underwood and his crew are doing something (and likely most things) right. So when the luck runs out, opponents' numbers may tick upward, but the sky (and an endless rain of 3-pointers) won't be falling. The Illini will just have to hope that, by then, they've begun to clear up their own offensive issues.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Illinois vs. Tennessee Game-Winner: Anatomy of an Upset Denied

3 Big Takeaways in Illinois Basketball's Loss to No. 1 Tennessee

Illinois Basketball Holds Strong in Andy Katz's Power 37 Rankings