Pressure Tested: Illinois Learns Tough Lessons Against Ole Miss

How a physical exhibition game exposed Illinois’ areas for improvement and potential for growth.

Illinois Basketball: Early Lessons Against Ole Miss’ Veteran Lineup

Illinois Basketball’s mantra may be “Every Day Guys,” but this exhibition matchup felt more like the effort I see in NBA preseason games. Illinois, fielding a relatively young and untested squad, found themselves facing an Ole Miss team that Coach Underwood aptly described as “old as dirt.” While Ole Miss displayed a cohesive, practiced style, Illinois is still learning the basics of playing together.

As Coach Underwood noted after the game, “We haven’t spent any time at all on five-way switching, and that’s probably something we’re going to have to look at.” This exhibition was Illinois' first road game as a new unit, challenging them with a hostile crowd and a skilled, veteran opponent—and the learning curve showed as they struggled to keep pace.

So, here’s a breakdown of what stood out.

Physicality and Defensive Intensity: Illinois’ Wake-Up Call

Ole Miss was undoubtedly the more physical and intense team in this exhibition game. From the start, they disrupted Illinois’ rhythm, applying pressure that made life difficult for the young Illinois squad. This type of physical play seemed to catch Illinois off guard, as they’re not accustomed to being pushed around like that. On defense, Illinois struggled to match Ole Miss’s level of physicality, focus, and intensity—qualities that are essential for competing at a high level.

Think back to Terrence Shannon Jr. last year, imposing his will on opponents, giving 100% effort, and playing with that unmistakable tenacity. That kind of “dog” mentality was missing in this game, though perhaps that’s expected in an exhibition. Even Kylan Boswell, known for his defensive prowess, appeared a step slow, not playing with enough effort, and allowing his man too much space. I was particularly watching him, expecting him to set the tone, but the intensity just wasn’t there. Postgame player interviews echoed this sentiment, with players admitting they need to bring far more intensity and physicality into practice. It was a big takeaway for them—and for me.

Defense, frankly, is a worry for this Illinois team. I had my concerns about the defense even before this game. Sure, some might argue, “It doesn’t matter if the opponent scores 89 if Illinois scores 90.” While there’s truth in that, and offense often outweighs defense in today’s game, both sides are essential for any team aspiring to contend. If Illinois ends up with the worst defense in the Big Ten, it’ll be a struggle, regardless of how efficient the offense becomes.

Now, looking on the bright side, it’s unlikely opponents will consistently have 6’8” players going 5-of-6 from deep, as Ole Miss did. Illinois seemed content to let the Ole Miss bigs have open looks from three, and those shots fell. But watching the game, the gap in defensive intensity between the teams was clear. Illinois didn’t make life nearly difficult enough for Ole Miss, and if they want to compete at a high level, that must change and it starts in there next practice.

Offensive Adjustments and Growing Pains: Illinois Finds Learning Moments

Adjusting to Defensive Pressure

Despite a rough outing on offense, I’m not particularly concerned. This young Illinois team wasn’t prepared for the kind of defensive pressure Ole Miss brought, which threw them off their game. Illinois committed several turnovers—mistakes that can be corrected. The talent is clearly there, and they should have performed better. Part of their struggles likely stemmed from nerves and trying to play too fast. Playing with speed is advantageous, especially in transition, where teams can capitalize on defensive breakdowns. However, once the defense is set, playing smart becomes far more crucial than simply playing fast.

Lessons from Last Season’s Tempo

Looking back at last season, Terrence Shannon Jr. vs Marcus Domask was a prime example of the balance between speed and control. When Shannon had the ball in transition, he was a force, using his speed to drive to the basket against unset defenses. In half-court sets, however, Illinois leaned on Marcus Domask’s slower, methodical playstyle. Domask would back down defenders, drawing multiple defenders and creating open opportunities for teammates, who positioned themselves in the passing lanes or cut to the basket. Everyone knew where they needed to be.

Capitalizing on Advantages

In this exhibition, Illinois did manage to penetrate Ole Miss’ defense, forcing them to collapse in the paint and leaving the perimeter open. Basketball is about creating advantages, and Illinois succeeded in forcing Ole Miss to shift defensively—they just didn’t capitalize once they created those advantages. They did not know where they needed to be. The team may have been playing too fast, struggling with decision-making under pressure. When players play at top speed, reaction time decreases, which can lead to rushed and less effective decisions. Slowing down—or rather, playing with control—can allow for better reads and responses. Domask excelled at this, using patience and control to dissect defenses, while Shannon thrived on pure speed.

Improving Off-Ball Movement and Spacing

In this game, however, Illinois seemed rushed in the half-court, with too much one-on-one play and not enough patience or off-ball movement. For young players, the game gets sped up naturally, and as they gain experience and more reps, it tends to slow down. Illinois appeared overwhelmed, with poor ball and player movement against Ole Miss’ defense. Too often, off-ball players stood stagnant rather than helping the ball handler by creating open passing lanes. Coach Underwood was visibly frustrated, shouting, “MOVE!” as he watched players fail to adjust. I repeatedly saw the ball handler reach the middle, drawing defenders, only to find teammates standing still on the perimeter instead of moving into optimal passing positions.

Dealing with Defensive Switching and Mismatches

As I said earlier, Coach Underwood mentioned postgame that Illinois hadn’t yet practiced defensive switching, a tactic Ole Miss deployed vs Illinois. This resulted in smaller players getting switched onto Illinois bigs. Occasionally, Illinois fed Ivisic in the mismatch, but too often, the ball handler tried to force things for himself rather than making the simple, effective play of feeding the big man. Ivisic’s performance was a bright spot; he showed versatility with post moves, perimeter shooting flashed some skill, and defensive capabilities in the paint. Although he didn’t look comfortable guarding the perimeter, it seemed like the game plan allowed Ole Miss bigs to take those outside shots and we didn’t get to see what it would look like if he were asked to guard the perimeter.

Developing a Pass-First Mentality

In the end, Illinois’ offense needs to adopt a pass-first mentality rather than a score-first one to overcome a defense like Ole Miss’. Ole Miss wanted to trap Illinois into individual plays rather than cohesive ball movement, and Illinois fell into that trap. However, with more reps against intense defenses and experience facing switching schemes, Illinois has the potential to improve significantly.

Looking Ahead: A Bright Future with Adjustments

What’s exciting is that this team’s ceiling is still unknown—they have room to grow and should get better as the season progresses. Looking ahead, I’d expect to see more spread pick-and-roll sets involving Kasparas Jakucionis and Ivisic, with shooters spacing the perimeter to create options. Let Jakucionis operate with the ball to create the initial advantage and use ball movement and player moment to make plays. Illinois has too many offensive weapons to not figure things out, and with time, this offense can become a real threat. They just need to learn how to weaponize their spacing.

TL;DR:

Illinois faced a physical and experienced Ole Miss team in an exhibition game, exposing areas for growth. Ole Miss’s defensive pressure disrupted Illinois, revealing the young team’s need to adapt to intensity and improve on defensive focus. Offensively, Illinois showed talent but struggled with turnovers and rushed decisions. Key takeaways include a need for better off-ball movement, spacing, and developing a pass-first mentality. Coach Underwood’s squad is learning and has potential, with room to improve as they adjust to high-level play, particularly by refining their control in the half-court. Despite the loss, Illinois’ offensive depth offers hope as they gain experience and grow throughout the season.

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For more on this game, Joe Jackson did a film breakdown you can check out here.