Illini upended by Baylor defense in top 5 showdown
There was a time that offensive slumps by the Illini were so frequent that they were as commonplace as popcorn vendors in the stands. Those days are gone for now, but it was the one lapse Wednesday night that did in the Illini. #2 Baylor (4-0) used a 14-3 run in the 2nd half to break open a tight game as they went on to score an 82-69 victory over the 5th ranked Illini. The Jimmy V Classic game in Indianapolis marked the first top 5 non-conference matchups in Bears history. Illinois (3-1) struggled early on against the relentless Baylor defense, committing four turnovers in the opening six minutes and missing on five of their first six free-throw attempts.