This was a close game throughout. Not one team pulled away during any part of the contest. Just five minutes into the game, the Illini were able to take a 7-4 lead. Indiana narrowly closed that margin by the 10-minute mark with the scoring showing 18-16 in favor of Illinois.
With only five minutes to go in the first half, the Hoosiers ended up taking the lead. Two Trayce Jackson-Davis free throws put Indiana up 25-23. They actually extended their lead to five points at one time, but Illinois wasn’t going to let that lead get any bigger.