A surprise late scratch of a potential top five NBA draft pick like the one of Kasparas Jakucionis prior to Wednesday’s game very well could’ve thrown a wrench in the Illini’s recent momentum.

Or, at the very least, it probably should’ve looked like it had some effect. A 39-point drubbing? A 34-4 first half run? Alright, I guess nothing can slow down this Illini train right now.

Illinois didn’t skip a beat in its second emphatic victory in three games — and a big reason for that was the trio of guys it had step up to pick up the slack for its missing leader.

As read on TCR last night, the Illini made more history on Wednesday. Ben Humrichous, Tre White and Morez Johnson all reached 20 or more points, marking just the third time since the 1938-1939 season that Illinois had three 20-point scorers in the same game.

The individual performances of those three were particularly notable because all three of Humrichous, White and Johnson put up their respective big nights in entirely different ways. And all three used Jakucionis’s absence to send a message about how far they’ve already come just a quarter of the way into conference play.

For Morez Johnson, Wednesday’s 20-point, 11-rebound double-double encapsulated everything he brings to the floor the second he steps on it. It was efficient — done in just 20 minutes — and was the result of his constant energy and activity that found himself around the basket on what felt like every possession.

Johnson’s been perhaps the most consistently impactful producer in the Illini rotation all season. His per-40-minute numbers are absurd — try 14.6 points, 17.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks. His total rebound rate would rank in the top five nationally if he had the minutes to qualify. He just hasn’t gotten the opportunity to stuff the stat sheet as loudly as he did Wednesday. A well-deserved and long overdue breakout night.

Ben Humrichous’s explosive first half was the flashiest performance of the night, showcasing the ability to catch fire from deep that has always been there for him despite his December struggles. Humrichous nailed five first half threes and was a big reason the Illini’s lead ballooned in the midst of their dominating scoring run.

The most encouraging sign for Humrichous, though, is the way he’s beginning to diversify his game. Through December, Humrichous had attempted just 12 two-point attempts on the season, pretty much exclusively acting as a spot-up shooter on the perimeter. In just three games in January, Humrichous already has 14 attempts from two.

He flashed the ability to take advantage of mismatches with his size in some Marcus Domask-like mid post isos. He’s also gotten noticeably more aggressive attacking closeouts and finishing with force at the rim when the opportunity presents itself. Pair those things with a season-high 9 rebounds on Wednesday and you’ve finally got the version of Humrichous that makes Illinois its most dangerous self.

And quietly in the midst of everything else came another extremely productive Tre White performance. White reached 20 points and 7 rebounds in a similar manner to most of his recent production — doing a little bit of everything and doing it in a very efficient, inconspicuous manner.

Over the last 7 games, White is now averaging 16.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game on remarkable 63.3% efficiency from the floor. He’s turned himself into a consistent second scoring option alongside Jakucionis when he’s out there while making the types of winning plays that result from competing to win, as Brad Underwood detailed Tuesday.

White has made significant strides in almost every area, from scoring off the dribble to rebounding to the defensive end, and it’s taken Illinois to an entirely different level. Wednesday’s performance showed once again how dangerous he can be when he’s attacking and playing with high energy.

As a whole, the Illini certainly hope they’re without their star player for long. But their response without him — particularly from the Johnson, Humrichous and White trio that will continue to be vital to their success — was a welcome sight.

Illinois proved they have the depth to survive a man down while also showing what things can look like when its complementary pieces are at their best. Right now, it’s hard to imagine anything slowing down the roll these Illini are on.

Ben Humrichous scored a season-high 21 points, Thornton grad Morez Johnson Jr. had a career-high 20 points with 11 rebounds and No. 13 Illinois beat Penn State 91-52 on Wednesday night at State Farm Center in Champaign for its fifth consecutive victory.

Tre White also had 20 points to help Illinois (12-3, 4-1 Big Ten) win with scoring leader Kasparas Jakucionis sidelined by a bruised forearm.

Penn State star Ace Baldwin Jr. aggravated a back injury early in the first half and didn’t play in the second half. He didn’t score, missing all six of his shots.

Nick Kern Jr. had 13 points for the Nittany Lions (12-4, 2-3). Zach Hicks added 11.

Takeaways

Illinois: After sweeping No. 9 Oregon and Washington on a West Coast trip, Illinois was tasked with beating nemesis Penn State without Jakucionis, whose absence was announced just before the game. Humrichous and Johnson made up for the loss of Jakucionis.

Penn State: The Nittany Lions came into the night as the 10th-highest scoring team in the nation, averaging 86.8 points. They had scored a program record 80-plus points in six straight games. Penn State shot 31% against Illinois.

Key moment

A 21-2 Illini run in the first half gave them a 26-13 lead. Penn State missed nine straight shots during the stretch, going 7:56 without a field goal.

Up next

Illinois: Hosts Southern California on Saturday.

Penn State: Hosts No. 9 Oregon on Sunday.

SPRINGFIELD — After closing out a lame-duck legislative session tainted by internal strife, Illinois Democrats heralded a fresh start Wednesday as the latest class of the Illinois General Assembly enters a daunting budget season and prepares for the second presidency of Donald Trump.

“We meet here this afternoon at a critical moment in the history of our state and our country, and as the elected leaders from our communities, we have some difficult things to do in the days and months ahead,” Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch said at his chamber’s inauguration ceremony at the University of Illinois-Springfield.

“Trying to build connection, compassion and community in a time fraught with division and discord — these are challenges created and exacerbated by many factors beyond our control,” Welch said, nodding toward a second Trump administration at odds with Illinois’ supermajority Democratic Party. “The people who sent you here, who gave us this moment, expect us to move forward as one.”

But the Hillside Democrat’s caucus saw discord of its own in a lame-duck session confrontation that enraged Gov. JB Pritzker.

Several House Democrats shouted down Pritzker agency heads during a Monday caucus meeting over a controversial hemp regulation bill, in a heated encounter that ended with at least one staffer in tears and one of Pritzker’s top legislative priorities tanked.

The governor’s office criticized Welch for allowing the berating to happen, while Pritzker publicly slammed Welch for not calling a floor vote for the bill that would have effectively banned most sales of hemp-derived THC products like delta-8.

Pritzker demanded apologies to his staff, and on Wednesday he said “a little of that has happened,” while downplaying the possibility of any bad blood transitioning to the new legislative session as lawmakers grapple with an estimated $3 billion budget deficit.

“Every day is a new day to do the right thing,” Pritzker told reporters after presiding over the Illinois Senate’s inauguration. “People can make mistakes, and certainly mistakes were made and behavior was improper during that caucus. But people can make amends and we can all get along.”

Senate President Don Harmon preached a similar message of unity as he was sworn in for a third full term at the helm of the upper chamber. He advised his colleagues to “treat your neighbors well, stay humble [and] be kind.”

“Your seatmates, the members of your caucus, are your neighbors in the Senate. Your time here will be much more pleasant if you are good to them,” Harmon said inside a newly renovated chamber. “The Senate is an active laboratory for coalition building. Forge those bonds and look out for one another.”

Neither leader, nor Pritzker, went far into specifics on their legislative agendas heading into the spring session. While lawmakers ended the previous General Assembly without advancing legislation intended to preempt policies from the incoming Trump administration, “we’re all going to have to be on guard for what the impact of that will be in the state of Illinois,” Pritzker said.

He suggested Trump tariff policies and potential Medicaid cuts could exacerbate the state’s looming budget deficit.

“We don’t know what they’re going to do,” Pritzker said. “We know that we have a gap that we need to fill or that we need to manage in order to have a balanced budget, and I’m confident that we will do that. But it is true that there’s some unpredictable results that may come from Washington.”

The governor has until the end of May to hammer out a budget with lawmakers. He’ll deliver his initial proposal next month.

Other legislators floated their priorities for the upcoming session, including South Side state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, who highlighted the need for a broad transit funding reform bill to avert a fiscal cliff; and Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, who wants to add safeguards around the use of artificial intelligence in health care.

Republicans, who remain relegated to superminority status in Springfield, voiced frustration with the Democrats’ iron grip on the State Capitol.

“Illinois is a great place to live, and Illinois has always been a state of possibilities, but one-party control has stifled that success,” said House Minority Leader Tony McCombie. Republicans have been outnumbered in the House since 1994, and the Senate since 2000.

“I, like many, was disappointed with our election outcomes, and the ability for us to secure more Republican seats to bring some balance to the General Assembly,” McCombie said. “However, this was not due to a lack of good candidates or hard work, but due to special interests and Illinois’s gerrymandered maps, the most outrageous maps in the nation.”

With over $600 million raised in campaign contributions across all political campaigns in 2024, neither party had much to show for their time and money. The state House and Senate saw no party gain or lose a seat, as Democrats held onto their bicameral supermajority for four straight elections.

Republican Senate Minority Leader John Curran offered a cooperative hand in his chamber, praising Harmon “for making the table more open to the minority party. I look forward to that continued inclusion in the upcoming session.”