CHAMPAIGN — Kylan Boswell sat behind a microphone postgame on Friday night with his head slumped forward, struggling to even find the words to describe what had just occurred.
He, like many of his Illini teammates during and after Friday’s sobering 84-70 loss to No. 3 Michigan, looked stunned. It had been a long time since Illinois had taken a beating like that one. All four of its losses since November had come by one possession — three in overtime, two on buzzer-beaters, and all games that while certainly frustrating, were a matter of one single play from going the Illini’s way. None offered anywhere near the same jarring reality check that Friday’s thumping did.
The Illini entered the game hoping to slay the monster that was the Wolverines. Instead, they were thoroughly outplayed and had the life completely sucked out of them by the final buzzer in a way they hadn’t experienced in months…