Big Ten play approaching as Illini drop first game of the season

(WCIA) — Illinois’s perfect 6-0 start to the year ended at the Hyatt Place Invitational in a loss to No. 24 Dayton.

The team bounced back quickly, winning over the hosting Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Illinois now sits at 7-1 with just two non-conference games left on the schedule.

“I think we just see a constant build, right?” said head coach Chris Tamas. “We got some good tests this weekend and one went our way and the other one didn’t. And, you know, we learned from Friday night that made us play better on Saturday.”

Illinois heads to Nashville for the last two games of non-conference play, facing Missouri and Lipscomb in the Libby Invite. After games against Washington and Oregon, home Big Ten play begins on October 3 at Huff Hall against Nebraska.

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