The Hoosiers fought hard and showed some bright spots in a 69-60 loss to Illinois, but ultimately couldn't match Ayo Dosunmu's offense.
Both teams struggled to score for most of the game, but the junior guard from Illinois was the difference. He absolutely dominated down the stretch of the second half, tallying 20 points in the last 20 minutes. He finished with 30 points with astounding efficiency: 11-of-17 from the field and 4-of-5 from three.
Kofi Cockburn outplayed Trayce Jackson-Davis throughout this game. The Illinois big man had 15 points and 15 rebounds, outmatching Jackson-Davis's 11 points and eight boards. The sophomore star for IU also finished 3-of-13 from the field and was in foul trouble for much of the second half.
Armaan Franklin played like an absolute star for Indiana, continuing what has been an impressive second season. Franklin finished with 23 points on 8-12 shooting (5-6 from three). He did it in a variety of ways: off pin-downs, floppy actions, mid-range pull-ups, and at the rim.
Al Durham and Rob Phinisee, who had previously come under a great deal of scrutiny for their poor performances, showed flashes this game. Both upperclassmen had bad first halves but made up for it with some solid energy and production in the second. Durham had nine points, three rebounds, and three assists in the second half, and Phinisee had four points and a block.
Trey Galloway started in place of the struggling Phinisee, a decision that may be lasting. Galloway held his own in the starting lineup, and Phinisee showed more life than he had in previous games.
Indiana fans can be encouraged by the defense their team played and the fight they showed. Illinois is undoubtedly one of the most talented teams in the Big Ten, if not the NCAA, and the Hoosiers gave them a very tough game.
However, it is clear that this team needs to make some adjustments to get some more reliable offense. An easy solution would be for Durham and Phinisee to play up to their capabilities. Make no mistake about it, there is room for improvement with this team, but scoring 60 points in a game will make it hard to win against almost anyone.
Indiana was out rebounded 40-28 by Illinois and had nine assists to eight turnovers.
The Hoosiers will be in action against Penn State on December 30th to try and right the ship.
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