Illinois Basketball Report Card: Grades vs. Arkansas (Game 7)

The Illini ended their shooting slump and got several classy individual performances in Thursday's 90-77 win over Arkansas

Nov 28, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kylan Boswell (4) drives to the basket during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images / William Purnell-Imagn Images

Illinois had faced just one other top opponent before taking on No. 19 Arkansas on Thursday in a neutral-site matchup in Kansas City, Missouri, and it hadn't gone especially well. A 100-87 loss to then-No. 8 Alabama had exposed some defensive issues and raised questions about whether the young Illini were ready to handle the size, speed and skill that the cream of the college basketball crop would throw at them.

Now we have our answer.

The Illini (6-1) hit the ground running against Arkansas (5-2) and didn't break stride until crusing to a 90-77 win over the Razorbacks. The perimeter shooting finally came around for Illinois, but it was a fine all-around effort against a team that figures to push Auburn, Tennessee, Kentucky and Bama in the SEC all season. Below, we grade out Illinois' individual performances from the Arkansas matchup, which – again – represent each player's single-game output.

Tomislav Ivisic: A+

Ivisic didn't just meet the pressure of the moment against a quality ranked opponent and a much-hyped matchup with twin brother Zvonimir – he wrangled it and rode it like he owned it. With 21 points on 6-for-9 shooting from 3-point range, 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals, Ivisic put on one of the best all-around individual performances seen from a player in an Illini uniform in quite some time.

Kylan Boswell: A-

While sharing responsibilities running the Illini offense (six assists) and finding room to spark his own (18 points), Boswell also put on another defensive clinic, doing most of the heavy lifting in holding Razorbacks freshman guard Boogie Fland to eight points on 2-for-12 shooting. Even if Boswell's 3-point stroke never comes around, he'll be in the running for Illinois' unofficial team MVP.

Kasparas Jakucionis: A-

Jakucionis continues to show that he's anything but the typical freshman point guard, striking a harmonious balance between creating offense for his teammates and himself (23 points and four assists) against a quality opponent in Arkansas. His handle can get too loose (six turnovers), but the occasional freshman mistakes are the cost of doing business when offensive brilliance is the payoff.

Ben Humrichous: B+

Humrichous has been Illinois' metronome this season, spotting up and knocking down shots beyond the arc at an excellent clip (3-for-4 against the Hogs) and stretching opposing defenses to further open the throttle on the Illini offense. His other numbers tend to ebb and flow, but when he holds down his position on defense, he almost always comes up as a plus.

Morez Johnson Jr.: B+

Despite playing less than half the game, Johnson – as usual – made his presence felt, mostly in a very good way. He finished with six points (2-for-2 from the field), four rebounds and two steals. Johnson rarely takes anything off the table, but his free-throw shooting (2-for-4 vs. Arkansas) and proclivity for fouls (three in 15 minutes) are something he'll want to clean up over time.

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn: B

Thirteen minutes isn't a lot of time to get much of anything done, but Gibbs-Lawhorn hit 2 of 3 shots (including a three) and snagged a rebound in his short floor time against Arkansas – solid enough production for his run in this one.

Tre White: B-

White was one of the few Illini who weren't feeling it Thursday, missing his only shot (a 3-point attempt), grabbing two rebounds and otherwise handing in a clean stat sheet in just 11 minutes. With Illinois' depth, White's playing time will probably often hinge on who – including him – has the hot hand in the rotation on any given day.

Will Riley: C-

For the first time all season, Riley played like an overwhelmed freshman. He had just five points (on 2-for-9 shooting) and zero rebounds against Arkansas, which clearly made a point of keeping Riley from getting comfortable. As we know by now, he'll have many much better days ahead.

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