Illini Film Room: How Ayo Dosunmu Took Over At Wisconsin

Illini Maven/Sports Illustrated diagrams how Illinois sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu took over the final possessions of the 71-70 win at Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. -- In what might be the understatement of the evening, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said he loved his team's late-game execution Wednesday night. 

In the 71-70 comeback victory at Wisconsin, Illinois (11-5, 3-2 in Big Ten) were 5 of 6 from the field in its final six possessions with only one individual constant. On every trip, Illini sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu touched the basketball. After being unable to nail down the final possession of an 81-79 home loss to Miami (Fla.) over a month ago, Illinois' leading scorer showcased his leadership skills and basketball intelligence over a four-minute period in the Kohl Center. 

"With that role of being a closer or a finisher late in games, I feel like it's not always about scoring," Dosunmu said. "I feel there are just times you have to make the right play. I hit Alan in transition. I hit Kofi (Cockburn) on a late lob. I hit Trent in the corner. I hit Alan for another three. That's four plays in a row where yeah, the play was called for me but that doesn't mean I have to shoot it. Now the defense is scrambling. I hit Kofi and his man is late getting over and I have a layup. I hit Alan and now his man is standing with him and now I have an iso situation. I feel like it's about playing the game the right way because ultimately, when it's time to close a game out, you'll be prepared to do that and it's your time to shine." 

The Illini Maven/Sports Illustrated will now take you into the sequence of those last four critical possessions (video begins at the four-minute mark) that always begins with Dosunmu getting the basketball at the top of the key. 

This Illinois slip screen by Kofi Cockburn for Ayo Dosunmu allows for an easy pin-down screen by Giorgi Bezhanishvili and results in a 3-pointer by Alan Griffin / Big Ten Network

- 3:27 left - Wisconsin 63, Illinois 60 - A simple dribble hand-off from Trent Frazier to Dosunmu is complimented by a slip screen by center Kofi Cockburn. While Wisconsin defenders are sagging inside because Cockburn just got an alley-oop dunk off this action, the far side screen by Giorgi Bezhanishvili for Alan Griffin becomes easier to set. Griffin flies off the screen and is clear of his defender (Kobe King) by a few steps when he receives the pass from Dosunmu. The result is a 3-pointer, which Griffin is making at a 56.3 percent clip in his last four games, to tie the score. 

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- 1:56 left - Wisconsin 65, Illinois 63 - This is simply a pick-and-roll action by Griffin for Dosunmu that leads to one-on-one isolation near the right wing. Griffin has just nailed two 3-pointers so Wisconsin won't double Dosunmu but switched the screen. Now Dosunmu recognizes he has the defender he wants on him and has two options. Option A) Go right by Kobe King for a layup. Option B) Penetrate and kick for an open three-pointer. Dosunmu knows the option he takes is primarily dictated by Wisconsin defender D’Mitrik Trice. Unfortunately, Trice gets himself in no-man's land and goes halfway to helping on Dosunmu but without completely leaving Trent Frazier in the corner. This gives Frazier enough room to knock down his only 3-pointer of the night giving Illinois its first lead since 20-19.

Big Ten Network

NOTE: So far, Dosunmu has touched the ball twice, led the offense twice and Illinois has six points without attempting a field goal. By the time the final buzzer sounded, Illinois went 36 minutes of scoring just 57 points in 55 possessions (1.04 points per possession). In the final 4:16 of this game, Illinois scored 14 points in seven possessions (two points per trip), which nearly doubled its points-per-possession rate in the final segment. 

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- 1:28 left - Wisconsin 67, Illinois 66 - Time for Dosunmu to take over. On another ball screen at the top of the key by Cockburn, Dosunmu turns the corner on Wisconsin's Brad Davison. The same pin-down action by Bezhanishvili for Griffin takes two more Wisconsin defenders away from the rim. Wisconsin center Nate Reuvers is unable to help Davison on the screen action because he can't leave Cockburn all alone at the rim so Dosunmu is allowed to causally get all the way to the basket for two points. 

"He's very, very poised. It takes a certain type of guy to want the ball in those type of situations and not fear the miss," Underwood said. "He's been in those moments so often that he knows he's going to make it more often than not and so do we." 

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- 49.5 left - Illinois 68, Wisconsin 67 - At this point, you should be very familiar with this action in the top screenshot. In this final sequence, Dosunmu catches Davison cheating to his right side after the screen-and-roll action by Cockburn. Dosunmu shakes Davidson and steps back for a 3-pointer, which he hits. 

The reason I show this bottom screenshot of Dosunmu's shot once it is released is Cockburn's positioning. Even if Dosunmu's shot is missed left or right or comes off the rim soft, Cockburn has full box-out positioning on Reuvers for a put-back opportunity that would've been Illinois' ninth offensive rebound and could've put Illinois up three with just 40-45 seconds left. 

Big Ten Network

"He's willing to take the ball in those kinds of situations," Cockburn said of Dosunmu Wednesday night. "He can make the big play and I trust him 100 percent every time. I always knew this. I played against him in AAU and in some camps. I knew he was a player that plays hard and smart every time he steps on the court." 

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