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Tom Izzo credits Dain Dainja for strong play for Illinois: ‘He kicked our butt single-handedly’
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Dain Dainja, Illinois’ big man down low, was a force in the paint in Friday’s win over Michigan State. He put up 20 points, tied for most across both teams, and totaled 7 rebounds and 2 blocks in the process.
In the final minutes especially, Dainja seemed to be everywhere. He sided in a late flurry to keep Illinois on top and win their 3rd straight game.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo noticed it. He spoke admirably about Dainja’s play postgame.
Tom Izzo: “Dainja, give him credit. He kicked our butt single-handedly.”
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) January 14, 2023
Illinois has seen success in the past few games ever since freshman Skyy Clark stepped away from the game. The Fighting Illini have been able to better fit into their roles, allowing Terrence Shannon more freedom to move around the lineup as Underwood sees fit.
Illinois is back in action against Minnesota on Monday.
Ethan Stone was an editor for his student newspaper at the University of Tennessee and is now a News Manager for Saturday Tradition.