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Three Instant Observations From Illinois Basketball's 95-94 OT Loss to UCLA

The Illini dropped another heartbreaker in overtime, this time on the road against a struggling Bruins squad
Pranav Hegde|
Feb 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA guard Donovan Dent (2) hangs in the air and scores the winning basket over Illinois center Zvonimir Ivisic (44) in overtime at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Feb 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA guard Donovan Dent (2) hangs in the air and scores the winning basket over Illinois center Zvonimir Ivisic (44) in overtime at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting IlliniUCLA Bruins

Illinois (22-6, 13-4 Big Ten) seemed to put UCLA in a body bag early on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, taking a 33-10 lead with a 20-0 run. But the Illini failed to finish the job, allowing the Bruins to come roaring back – and even take a six-point lead – before falling 95-94 in overtime.

In a vacuum, dropping a one-point game in overtime on the road to a quality opponent isn’t the end of the world. Take in context, it’s a red siren.

UCLA came into the game reeling (two straight losses by a combined 53 points), and Illinois still let them walk out with a win – capped by Donovan Dent going coast to coast for the game-winning layup at the buzzer, after Illinois had taken a 94-93 lead. It was basically the Tennessee finish from a season ago, just with different jerseys and the same sinking feeling.

Here are three observations from a heartbreaking loss at Pauley Pavillion:

1) Illinois dominated the glass … and still lost

If we told you Illinois would win the rebounding battle 43-27, snag 20 offensive rebounds and create a mountain of extra possessions, you would assume that adds up to a comfortable win.

Nope.

The Illini's offensive rebounding was ridiculous – they finished with a 20-8 advantage in that category – and it kept bailing them out when the offense got clunky. Keaton Wagler had six offensive boards by himself, and both Ivisic brothers were active around the rim. That’s the kind of effort that usually travels and usually wins you games when shots aren’t falling.

But the ugly truth is this: Extra possessions don’t matter if you spend them launching bricks or giving up clean looks on the other end. Illinois did the hard part (win the hustle battle) and then couldn’t cash in enough of those bonus chances to separate.

2) Late-game execution is officially a crisis

Illinois is now four conference losses deep, and the resume of pain is absurd: buzzer beater, OT loss, OT loss, OT buzzer beater. At some point, it stops being “tough luck” and starts being who you are in winning time.

This one hurt because the final sequence was so avoidable. Up 94-93 with five seconds left, the only thing you can’t allow is a straight-line, no-resistance runway to the rim.

And what happened? Dent took it end to end and, well, ended it.

That’s not “great offense beats great defense.” That’s a breakdown – spacing, matchups, help rules. Illinois failed to make UCLA execute against any resistance. The Illini let the game be decided in transition with a wide open layup at the rim. That’s how you lose in March, too.

And it’s made worse by the fact Dent didn’t even have some unstoppable scoring night – he finished 5-for-15 – but he ran the game with 15 assists and zero turnovers. Illinois let him control tempo all night, then let him decide the game at the end.

3) The Illini got three-heavy ... and just kept shooting

Illinois took 42 threes (shooting 13-for-42, 30.9 percent) out of 69 total shots. That’s an extreme diet, and it got worse as the game went on – exactly when you would think a team with a massive offensive rebounding edge might try to squeeze UCLA at the rim, get to the line and play through contact.

Illinois did get to the charity stripe (25-for-31, 80.6 percent), but the second-half offense still leaned too heavily into the three-ball instead of generating the kind of looks that calm a comeback. When you’re living off threes while your defense is leaking, you’re playing roulette.

And defensively, Illinois simply wasn’t good enough for long stretches. UCLA shot 34-for-67 (50.7 percent) and had 21 assists as a team. Eric Dailey Jr. (20 points) and Tyler Bilodeau (18) got comfortable. Xavier Booker came off the bench and went 7-for-8 for 16. That’s not a “shots were tough and they made them anyway” night. That’s UCLA settling in and stepping into shots.

The bottom line

Illinois had this game in its hands early, had it again late and still let it slip away because the margin for error disappears when the defense doesn’t travel and the late-game decision-making turns into a recurring horror movie.

If you’re keeping score at home: Illinois is talented enough to build a 33-10 lead on the road. And the Illini are also flawed enough to blow it.

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Pranav Hegde
PRANAV HEGDE

Primarily covers Illinois football, basketball and golf, with an emphasis on news, analysis and features. Hegde, an electrical engineering student at Illinois with an affinity for sports writing, has been writing for On SI since April 2025. He can be followed and reached on Instagram @pranavhegde__.

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