LAHAINA, Hawaii — Illinois’ defensive struggles aren’t just a byproduct of playing in the toughest Maui Invitational field of all time. The tournament just provided a national spotlight on how frequently — and efficiently — opposing teams get to the rim and score.
Wednesday night was simply more of the same in Illinois’ Maui finale against Xavier. The Musketeers turned easy basket after easy basket (plus some better-than-expected three-point shooting) into an 83-74 victory against the Illini in the seventh-place game that was still played in front of a sellout crowd at Lahaina Civic Center.
“I think it’s finding the consistency that young people need to have,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said about his team’s defense.