Courtney Bay Director of Branding and Creative Media | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Courtney Bay Director of Branding and Creative Media | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
The Illinois men's basketball team, ranked 13th nationally, faced a setback with an 82-72 loss to USC at home on Saturday. This defeat ended the Fighting Illini's five-game winning streak.
Illinois played without their starting point guard Kasparas Jakucionis for the second consecutive game. Ben Humrichous led the team with 15 points, including three of the team's seven three-pointers. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn and Tre White contributed 11 points each, while Kylan Boswell came close to a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds, along with six assists and five steals.
USC's Desmond Claude topped all scorers with 31 points. The Illini struggled early in the first half but managed to lead by halftime after a late surge. However, USC regained control in the second half and maintained their advantage until the end.
Next up for Illinois are two challenging road games against Indiana and Michigan State as they continue Big Ten play.
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