#13 Illini Fall to USC

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – No. 13 Illinois men’s basketball dropped an 82-72 home game to Big Ten newcomer USC on Saturday, snapping the Fighting Illini’s five-game win streak.

Four players scored in double-figures for the Illini (12-4, 4-2) who were playing without starting point guard Kasparas Jakucionis for the second straight game. Ben Humrichous led the way with 15 points including three of the team’s seven three-pointers.

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn and Tre White added 11 points each for the Illini and Kylan Boswell narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds to go along with a game-high six assists and a career-high-tying five steals.

USC was led by a game-high 31 points from Desmond Claude. 

The Illini worked to battle back from a slow start throughout most of the first half. USC (10-6, 2-3) led 19-10 at the 11:21 mark of the opening stanza, with the Illini shooting 0-4 from 3-point range to open the game. Out of a timeout, Humrichous knocked down the team’s first triple to jump start the Illini.

The Orange and Blue hit their stride late in the half, closing on a 10-2 run to take a 38-35 lead into the break. Another Humrichous three-pointer gave the Illini their first lead since 2-0 with 51 seconds to go. Gibbs-Lawhorn recorded a steal on the ensuing USC possession, then hit White for on the fast break for a buzzer-beating layup to end the half with the Illini leading.  

Early in the second half, USC regained the lead, 53-47, on the heels of an early 14-4 run. The Illini responded with a 6-0 spurt of their own, capped by a Gibbs-Lawhorn 3-pointer to knot the game at 53 with 12:31 to play.  

The Trojans surrounded Humrichous’ third triple with a 6-0 run and a 7-0 stretch, pushing their lead to double digits, 72-62, with 4 minutes remaining. The Illini answered with four straight – a pair of White free-throws and a Humrichous jumper in the lane – but were unable to pull any closer than six points in the final 3 minutes.

Next up, the Illini continue Big Ten play with two difficult road tests, beginning Tuesday night at Indiana (6 p.m. CT, Peacock) before an early Sunday tilt at Michigan State (11 a.m. CT, CBS). 

HIGHLIGHTS

PRESS CONFERENCE

POSTGAME NOTES

Player Notes:

• Ben Humrichous led the Illini with 15 points, including 3-for-8 from 3-point range, with five rebounds.
  

  • Knocked down at least one triple in all 16 games this season and has recorded multiple 3-pointers in nine contests.
  • Second-straight game as the Illini’s leading scorer.
  • Seventh game of the season in double-figures scoring, and his third in four games.

• Tre White posted 11 points (5-5 FTs) and four rebounds.

  • Scored in double figures for the fourth-straight game and for the ninth time overall this season.

    • Averaging 15.5 ppg over his last eight games.

• Kylan Boswell recorded 10 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals.

  • Reached double-figures scoring for the 10^th time this season and the seventh time in his last eight games.
  • Tied Morez Johnson Jr. for the team rebounding lead, his second game as Illinois’ leading rebounder.
  • 5 steals tied a career-high mark.
  • 6 assists marked a game high

• Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn was the Illini into double-figures, finishing with 11 points (2-6 3FGs)

  • Scored 10+ points for the fourth time this season, and the third time in his last five games.

    • Averaging 10.3 ppt over his last six games.
    • Third game of the season with multiple 3-pointers.

• Morez Johnson Jr. tied for game high with 8 rebounds (5 offensive)

  • Eighth game of the season with at least 8 rebounds and his third of the year with at least 5 offensive boards.

Team Notes:

• Starting lineup: Kylan Boswell, Ben Humrichous, Tomislav Ivisic, Will Riley, Tre White
• Illinois moves to 12-4 overall with a 4-2 record in Big Ten play. 

  • The Illini fall to 8-2 at State Farm Center this season, 2-1 at home vs. Big Ten opponents.

• The loss snaps Illinois’ season-best five-game win streak (overall) and the team’s four-game win streak in the Big Ten.
• Illinois falls to 73-33 (.689) in the Big Ten since 2019-20, the best mark in the conference over that span. 
• Illinois falls to 13-2 on the season when leading at halftime.
• Illinois was outrebounded 37-34 in the contest, falling to 0-2 on the season when losing the battle of the boards.

  • Illinois’ 34 rebounds tied a season-low mark set vs. Arkansas on Nov. 28.

• The Illini allowed USC to shoot 34-for-65 (.523) from the field, the highest shooting percentage by an opposing team this season.