The end result may not have been what fans were hoping for, but the Illinois Fighting Illini (8-7, 0-2) were pretty competitive in their narrow 75-73 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes (10-5, 2-0). Marc Loving (27 points) led all scorers on Sunday afternoon. Malcolm Hill, Kendrick Nunn, Jalen Coleman-Lands, and Michael Finke each contributed 14 points of their own to lead Illinois.
Here's what we learned from the contest:
1. Illinois showed some toughness
Yes, it's true!
In a game that featured several runs by both teams, Illinois answered the bell just about every time Ohio State seemed to be pulling away.