Ten wins in a row. Eight and oh in January - a month where Brad Underwood teams have been known to falter. Illinois’ best start in two decades….since that magical 2004-2005 season.
Getting there required getting over the trap game. The emotional letdown of a big road win at Purdue. “Drinking from the poison of your own success.”
Washington kept it close the entire first half and, for stretches of that first half, it looked like the Monstars had made a pit stop in Champaign. But this is Big Ten basketball…tough games pop up even when you think you’re cruising. What separates good teams from great starts is finding a way to gut it out.
Illinois did exactly that. The Illini had an answer every single time Washington tried to put together a run. And Illinois leaves the game with a W that puts the Illini in a four-way tie for first place at 2-0. But that logjam won’t last long. After Michigan-Michigan State tonight and Illinois-Nebraska Sunday, only two of those four teams will still be sitting at 2-1 or better.
The race is on.
WHAT TO WATCH
1. Michigan (NET: 3) @ Michigan State (NET: 10)
Watch Score: 9 | 7:00 PM CST | FOX
✅ Quad 1 opportunity for both teams
