3 Takeaways From Illinois Basketball's Uninspiring Win Over Sam Houston

Illinois men's basketball (3-1) hardly painted a masterpiece at the State Farm Center on Friday against a tough-to-put-away Sam Houston team (2-2). But 108 points and a 22-point victory can hardly be a poor night, right?

Well, there were certainly some impressive showings, both from an individual standpoint and a team perspective. But also evident were a fair share of shortcomings. Here are three postgame takeaways:

3 observations from Illinois basketball's win over Sam Houston

Illinois' offense is better with an aggressive Tomislav Ivisic

Tomislav Ivisic, who just last week attempted three shots vs. Penn (though he had seven assists), was getting them up on Friday. He took 21 shots in 22 minutes. He went 6-for-14 from deep and 4-for-7 inside the arc.

From beyond the arc, Ivisic launched without hesitation. He put the ball on the floor and attacked the basket on a dribble drive. He was initially stood up, and then put his shoulder back into a defender and lofted in a sweet baby hook.

New career high for Tomi!

Tomi's triple set a new personal best of 26 points with over 5 minutes left.

Watch on B1G+ pic.twitter.com/l3qArgAzXe
— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) November 14, 2026

We know Ivisic can pass. He’s one of the best passing big men in the country. But sometimes he just decides he’s going to get some buckets. Friday, when he scored a career-high 28 points, was one of those nights. We need to see Ivisic play with that aggression far more often – and ideally in higher-level games (say, perhaps against Duke on Tuesday).

Illinois' defense is a mess

Nov 13, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood before tip-off of a game with the Sam Houston Bearkats at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

First and foremost, Sam Houston’s guards hit some tough shots. We must give credit where credit is due. But the Bearkats also found a rhythm because they got quite a few easy ones. All three members of their stud guard trio cracked double digits – and they combined for nine made triples.

Guard Justin Begg led the way with 19 points and 10 assists. As a team, Sam Houston knocked down 14 three-pointers on 42.4 percent shooting. From Illinois’ perspective, that stemmed from a variety of issues. There were clear communication woes (coach Brad Underwood was not happy about those in the postgame).

But the Illini perimeter defenders were also just consistently getting beat. The inability to defend opposing guards is a major concern. And with the best backcourt unit in the country on deck – Duke's – Illinois has very little time to figure it out.

The turnover differential was huge

Nov 13, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Sam Houston Bearkats forward Enel St. Bernard (10) pulls down a rebound as Illinois Fighting Illini forward Zavier Zens (22) defends during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The lone bright spot on defense: forcing turnovers. Sam Houston committed 14 as a team. Freshmen Ethan Brown and Quentin Coleman combined for seven steals. The 2026-27 Illini have been more keen on jumping passing lanes and playing with active hands in gaps – and it has been paying off.

Good defense turns into better offense.

Watch on B1G+ pic.twitter.com/UmhckYNsud
— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) November 14, 2026

On the other end, one of the seemingly infinite bright spots on offense was the lack of turnovers. Illinois committed just six all game – three of which came from Coleman (and a fourth that should have been registered to him).

The turnover margin is like the battle of the boards. Winning it buys more possessions and more shots, which often results in more points. The Illini need to win both next Tuesday in Durham.

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