Just yesterday night, No. 3 Gonzaga defeated Illinois 84-78 in a closer game for the Bulldogs this year. Gonzaga now advances to the next round in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, also improving to 4-0. For the Illini, they are now sitting at 1-2 on the season.
Recap
For what was supposed to be a filler game for Gonzaga, this one turned to be a battle. For the first half it seemed as if this Illinois team might have been able to close the gap and take the lead. However, Gonzaga stayed ahead when it got closer than comfort. For me, I saw a lot of turnovers on the Bulldog side of the ball that kept Illinois in it. Other than that, the Bulldogs shooting was neat and that gave them a edge in close minutes. Then we started the second half, where this Gonzaga team jumped to a comfortable lead for about 15 minutes. Something then clicked for the Illini and they set off to close the gap to only 2 points. But in the end, Gonzaga was able to maintain their composure to escape a hungry Illinois team and an upset.
Player of the Game
Rui Hachimura had it going for the Bulldogs for majority of the game. His stat line that sits at 23 points (7-14 FG and 2-3 3PT) and 5 rebounds really did it for Gonzaga. And no longer is Hachimura talk, this kid from Japan has a legit shot at going pro. Look for Hachimura to do more than expected all year for Gonzaga.
Up Next
Gonzaga: vs. Arizona (Maui Jim Maui Semifinal) – 11/20 at 10:00 PM ET
Illinois: vs. Iowa State (Compensation Bracket Semifinal) – 11/20 at 4:30 PM ET
Photo Credits: https://www.chicagotribune.com/g00/sports/college/ct-spt-illinois-gonzaga-maui-invitational-20181120-story.html?i10c.encReferrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8%3d&i10c.ua=1&i10c.dv=18
