Illinois' Rebounding Struggles Cost Them in Overtime Loss

0:00On March 14th, Illinois fell to Wisconsin, 91 to 88 in overtime during the big 10 tournament quarter final at the United Center. Kylin Boswell returned from a hand injury that sidelined him for the team's last meeting, a close loss for the Alina and came in fired up against. The Badgers Early tension bored over just seconds into the game when Boswell forced to turn over and exchange words with Wisconsin's Nick Boyd, drawing double. Technical fouls for both. Boswell then picked up his second foul moments later, limiting his play and setting a tough tone as he eventually fouled out. The Alini racked up 23 fouls, their most this season. Sending Wisconsin to the line for 25 makes out of 30 attempts while Illinois went 9 for 15. Players and coach Brad Underwood expressed frustration over the calls, saying it cramped their aggressive style and fueled the Badgers guards. Rebounding was razor close at 37 to 36 for Wisconsin, but the Badgers grabbed 11 offensive boards for key second chance points, including ones that force over time.

1:05Underwood stressed needing more grit on the glass despite strong season stats. Illinois shot 50% from the field with solid possessions overall, but a second half shooting slump let Wisconsin erase a double digit lead. Underwood remains confident in their top offense for a deep tournament run if they sharpen rebounding and ball movement.