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The Illinois basketball team emerged victorious in a 105-96 exhibition game at Cincinnati on Saturday, but the performance generated a mix of optimism and concern. While the offense impressed, the defense allowed a high point total, prompting questions about the team's readiness on that end of the court.
Defense is, after all, half the game. Although Illinois appears capable of outscoring most opponents, it still must get stops consistently. As the competition intensifies in March, a strong defense becomes even more critical. Raising a team's floor—the difference between a Sweet 16 run and a national title—begins with defense.
So should the Illini be worried? The short answer: not at all. Yes, Cincinnati scored 96 points. And yes, Tylen Riley's 31 points and 13 assists revived memories of opposing guards slicing through the Illini defense last season. The Bearcats hit 12 three-pointers (36.4 percent), scored 42 points in the paint, added 12 second-chance points, and turned the ball over only 10 times—an unusually low number for an exhibition.
Why the lack of concern? First, coach Brad Underwood said in his postgame press conference: "We didn't scout. We talked personnel. But we didn't talk about Xs and Os." Underwood wanted to see how his team responded and whether they had internalized Illinois' defensive principles. He wasn't focused on devising a game plan to stop Cincinnati's scorers. Essentially, it was a glorified pick-up game—what an exhibition should be.
Exhibitions are opportunities for coaches to learn about their team and challenge players. Consider this: Michigan, which won the national title and had the best defense in the country last season, lost an exhibition to Cincinnati in Ann Arbor, allowing 100 points. The Wolverines finished with the No. 1 defense in the nation (per KenPom), while the Bearcats ranked No. 132 in offense and missed the NCAA Tournament. In other words, take exhibition results with a mountain of salt.
As the old adage goes: Rome wasn't built in a day. Defense relies on communication, chemistry, and instilled concepts—the side of the floor with the steepest learning curve. It will take time for the Illini. How much of the defensive struggles can be attributed to the lack of scouting is unclear. It's tough to say how effective Illinois can be on that end until the season gets underway—and maybe much longer.
Illinois has better all-around defensive personnel than it did last season. Defensive coordinator Cam Crocker is in Year 2. All signs point to a sturdier, steadier defense in 2026-27. And Cincinnati pouring 96 points on Illinois in a mid-October exhibition changes none of that.