In a surprising turn of events, No. 23 Illinois (15-8, 7-6) fell to Rutgers (12-11, 5-7) 82-73 on Wednesday, Feb. 5. The Scarlet Knights controlled the game for most of the night, and freshman forward Ace Bailey played a pivotal role in their victory. Bailey contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds and jumped over a referee to help secure the win.
Ace Bailey’s Impact on Rutgers’ Victory Over Illinois
Rutgers wasted no time taking charge in this matchup, jumping to a 19-6 lead early on. Illinois struggled offensively during a key stretch, scoring only four points over an 8:30-minute period.
During that time, Rutgers dominated the boards, outrebounding Illinois 15-5. This advantage in rebounding was a major factor, as it allowed the Scarlet Knights to control the game’s tempo. While Illinois showed some signs of life in the second half, they couldn’t close the gap after entering halftime down by eight points, and the deficit remained too large to overcome.
A significant moment occurred in the second half when Bailey, while on the fast break, took advantage of an unexpected situation involving the referee. With just under 16 minutes left, Bailey received the ball on the right wing and began driving toward the basket while being guarded by Illinois guard Ben Humrichous.
The play was already set to unfold, but then referee Jeffrey Anderson ended up in the middle of the action.
Bailey, who was quick to recognize the opportunity, used the referee as a screen to get by Humrichous. Anderson, with his back turned to Humrichous, accidentally provided Bailey with the extra space he needed to pull up and hit a short jumper. On this, Bailey said:
“The referee right there. I mean, I’m faster than the referee. If I get in front of him, they going to be behind him and me.”
Key Differences in Rutgers’ Victory
The Scarlet Knights excelled in fast-break opportunities, outscoring Illinois 14-0 in that category. Rutgers used this to their advantage, as Illinois struggled to defend in transition and failed to keep up with the speed of the game.
The Illini committed several turnovers, and the Rutgers capitalized on them, turning seven turnovers into 11 points. Illinois’ inability to take care of the ball led to missed opportunities and gave Rutgers an edge in both offensive and defensive execution.
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Bailey’s performance, both offensively and defensively, was key to maintaining Rutgers’ momentum throughout the contest. Not only did he score 18 points, but he also pulled down 11 rebounds, securing his seventh double-double of the season.
Bailey’s presence on both ends of the court was undeniable, and his performance proved to be one of the main reasons Rutgers was able to hold off Illinois and secure the victory.
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