Then again, sandwiching a 10-point home loss to an average Big Ten opponent between 25-point-plus massacres of conference foes – Penn State and Indiana – is taking up-and-down to an extreme. By now, we know what the No.

Kasparas Jakucionis missed Saturday's loss to Southern Cal and could be in danger of missing Illinois' game against Indiana on Tuesday.

Freshman point guard Kasparas Jakucionis, who missed Illinois' previous two games because of a left forearm strain, returned to the lineup Tuesday against Indiana in Bloomington, Indiana. Jakucionis didn't just suit up but also staked the No.

Kasparas Jakucionis made a tiebreaking layup with 32 seconds left, and No. 22 Illinois survived a furious comeback bid by Washington to squeak out an 81-77 victory Sunday at Alaska Airlines arena.

Illinois got its star player back on Tuesday and delivered another emphatic conference victory, dismantling Indiana 94-69. It was a total Illini avalanche from the opening tip. Illinois delivered a resounding knockout blow early in the first half,

In the two games missed by Illinois' Kasparas Jakucionis leading into Tuesday's road matchup with Indiana, the Illini learned that they didn't necessarily need their dynamic freshman guard to survive. But they were also reminded how much better life is with him in the lineup.