Silver Linings Playbook: Positive Takeaways After Illinois' Loss to Alabama

It wasn't all gloom and doom as the Illini dropped their first game of the season Wednesday

Nov 20, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Illinois guard Trey White (22) defends as Alabama forward Grant Nelson (4) drives with the ball in the CM Newton Classic at Legacy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Welp.

It’s not as if anyone had been expecting an undefeated season, but when Illinois raced out to a 3-0 start and this week cracked the AP poll, there was certainly optimism that the Illini had a chance of knocking off No. 8 Alabama on Wednesday in Birmingham.

Bama quickly shut that notion down, jumping out to an early 36-21 lead in the first half and (almost) never looking back. Illinois suffered its first loss of the season as the Tide rolled 100-87.

Coach Brad Underwood had been open about the defensive concerns around his club all offseason, but through three games, the Illini had looked fairly solid on that end. Alabama, however, wasn't just a different animal than any opponent Illinois had yet to face – the Tide, as college basketball's highest-scoring team a year ago, were an irresistible force.

But those issues that had occupied Underwood's offseason toughts also happened to rear their heads at the most inopportune time. Shoddy on-ball defense, late rotations (or none at all) and lackluster closeouts were the norm for the Illini against the Tide, and it showed – in a stark, well-rounded figure – as Bama raced to a 100-point performance.

And it was hardly a problem-free night for Illinois on offense. The Illini gave away points and possessions with poor free-throw shooting and turnovers all evening.

Yet as in most games, no matter how dire the outcome, there were bright spots. Here are two silver linings that could be found from Illinois' first loss of the season:

Kylan Boswell

Boswell has been outstanding on defense through four games as an Illini. The lockdown guard held Alabama’s preseason All-American guard Mark Sears to only the second scoreless game of his college career – and his first in four years. What came as a somewhat greater yet welcome surprise was Boswell's performance on the other end. After entering the game averaging 5.0 points on 25.0 percent shooting, Boswell put up 17 points and three assists against Bama, showing his ability to get to the rack and finish on both sides of the rim. Boswell's offensive breakout was bound to happen at some point, but his ability to tap into those skills consistently can be an X-factor in determining how successful a season this can be for the Illini.

Getting after the loose ball.@BamBam_Boz forces an Alabama turnover and gets the bucket.

1H 2:23 | #Illini 31, Alabama 44 pic.twitter.com/RKK1tcUAXt

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) November 21, 2024

Rebounding

A question Illinois hoped to answer in the affirmative was whether its outstanding rebounding performance through three games would be sustainable against opponents with elite size and athleticism. And aside from one possession in which the Illini gave up three offensive boards on Wednesday, the Illini were able to answer with a resounding "yes." They outrebounded Bama 44-37, an impressive margin given that Illinois had less-favorable rebounding opportunities (a lot more missed shots overall). Although the Alabama loss underscored some glaring issues for the Illini, it also made clear that rebounding isn’t one of them.

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