Illinois Basketball Report Card: Grades vs. Northwestern (Game 20)

The Illini – to a man – took a step in the right direction in Sunday's performance against the Wildcats

Illinois forward Jake Davis (15) launches a three-pointer over Northwestern guard Jalen Leach (1) in the Illini's 83-74 win over the Wildcats on Sunday at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. | University of Illinois athletics

The bloom is off the rose for these Illini (14-6, 6-4 Big Ten), who went from being underrated by the college basketball illuminati early this season to now arguably underperforming as the expectations around them have risen. The climb up the mountain, as always, gets harder with every subsequent step toward the top.

But Sunday's output in an 83-74 win over Northwestern (12-8, 3-6) felt like a purposeful vertical stride, even if the Illini failed to finish the game nearly as well as they started it. At the very least, Illinois got back to the business of defending – again, at least in the first half – and rebounding, and put away a team it lost to in overtime only weeks ago.

Collectively, the Illini turned in a rock-solid (if not quite remarkable) performance. So how did they produce individually? Below, we break down their single-game performances against the Wildcats:

Morez Johnson Jr.: A-

Replacing center Tomislav Ivisic (mono) in the lineup for the second game in a row, Johnson made a quantum leap from his first start. Against Northwestern, he avoided foul trouble while playing a career-high 34 minutes and neutralizing (for a half, at least) the Big Ten's leading scorer in Nick Martinelli. Oh, and he pitched in 15 points, nine rebounds and three blocks.

Highlights from No. 17 Illinois' 83-74 win over Northwestern. pic.twitter.com/FZaodhwA3T

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) January 27, 2025

Jake Davis: A-

Davis nailed his main job description – hit open threes – by going 3-for-6 from long range against the Wildcats. But he was also active on the boards, collecting three rebounds but also keeping others alive, and held his own on defense. Solid rebounding and defense to go with 11 points in 16 minutes off the bench? The Illini will take that from Davis every time.

Kasparas Jakucionis: B+

Were there imperfections? Sure. Jakucionis was a little too willing to settle on some tough shots from distance (1-for-5 on threes), and the occasional clunkiness with the ball remained. But he finished in triple-double territory (11 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists), sparked the offense and contested shots. High-level stuff.

Kylan Boswell: B+

After Boswell shot 0-for-3 on threes to bring his season percentage to 25.0, it may be time to accept that he just isn't going to be a consistent threat from distance. Then again, why worry about it when he's getting so much done in practically every other facet. His team-high 17 points came mostly on aggressive, crafty drives to the rim (9-for-10 on free throws), and he added six rebounds and four assists to go with his usual terrorizing on-ball defense.

Ben Humrichous: B

Whether by circumstance or design, Humrichous is looking for his shot more often inside the arc – to inconsistent effect. (He was 0-for-3 on two-pointers against NU.) But when he shoots 4-for-9 on threes, collects four rebounds and carries the water on D, as he did against the Wildcats, all is well.

Tre White: B

White may still be bouncing back from his own illness, or perhaps he's still in the pocket of a midseason semi-funk. But if his eight points and three rebounds in 20 minutes seems underwhelming, remember: White is a glue guy and a chameleon who routinely gives the Illini what they need on a game-by-game basis, and sometimes that means just fitting in and helping keep the machine running smoothly.

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn: B-

Gibbs-Lawhorn didn't shoot it well Sunday (1-for-3 from the field and 0-for-2 at the line), but as usual, his overall energy on both ends and the pressure he puts on opponents in transition was evident against NU. His four rebounds and two assists can't be discounted, either.

Will Riley: C

The kinks are still being worked out, and Riley has yet to reclaim his shot (four points on 2-for-9 shooting against Northwestern). But he is pressing less, seeking out better looks and continuing to find other ways to contribute (five rebounds in 18 minutes) until the shots start falling.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

3 Key Numbers From Illinois Basketball's Win Over Northwestern

Illinois Basketball Holds (Almost) Steady in AP Top 25 Poll

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