POST-GAME VIDEO: No. 8 Illinois 77, Ohio 75 - Ayo Dosunmu & Da'Monte Williams
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois guards Ayo Dosunmu and Da'Monte Williams spoke to local and statewide media via Zoom following the 77-75 win over Ohio on Nov. 27.
Dosunmu hit the pair of game-winning free throws after nearly going 94 feet with 7.7 seconds left and the contest on the line for the home Illini. Dosunmu waved through a full-court man-to-man trap by Ohio to get to the basket with the Illini (3-0) down one and his 26th and 27th point of the afternoon showcased another example of his history of clutch performances.
“I knew we were fine,” Dosunmu said about his mood coming out of that timeout down one point. “I knew the time and score. I knew once Da’Monte (Williams) set the screen on the (power forward), it was going to be an open lane for me to get to the rim.”
Ohio (2-1) was led by junior guard Jason Preston, who proved to be arguably the best perimeter player on the floor in this matchup, as the future NBA Draft prospect posted 31 points, eight assists and six rebounds along with no turnovers in 36 minutes of action. Despite a consistent effort by Dosunmu on the defensive end to check Preston, the 6-foot-4 guard constantly got open looks off ball screen action against a lifeless and confused Illinois defense.
Despite getting in early foul trouble, Williams produced his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds including a key 3-point shot to give the Illini a 74-73 lead with 35 seconds left in the game. Williams, who had been previously shy at showcasing any offensive production in his first two years at Illinois, is now 15 of 26 from beyond the 3-point arc dating back to the Maryland home game on Feb. 24, 2020.
“I actually got on (Williams) earlier in the game because they were blitzing my ball screens all night and I put (the ball) right in his shooter’s pocket and he didn’t shoot it,” Dosunmu said. “He hesitated and I said to him ‘c’mon, Da’Monte you’re a great shooter, I see you putting the work in everyday so be ready to shoot’. You saw down the stretch we believed in him and he stepped up there and made it.”
Illinois avoided its first loss to an unranked non-conference opponent as a Top 10 team since Dec. 28, 2002 when the then-No. 7 Illini lost at Memphis 77-74.