Illinois’ comeback fell just short Tuesday night, as the No. 3 Illini dropped an 84-78 decision to No. 16 Texas Tech. After trailing by as many as 22 points, Illinois battled back to within one in the second half. But the Red Raiders made the plays they needed down the stretch.

Here are three takeaways from the loss.

1. You Can’t Spot a Ranked Opponent 20 Points

Illinois dug itself a massive hole in the first half, heading into the break down 49-29. The Illini struggled to find a rhythm offensively and had no answer for Texas Tech’s early momentum.

The response after halftime was encouraging. Illinois outscored the Red Raiders 49-35 and cut the deficit to 65-64, showing the kind of fight that nearly turned the game around.

But the comeback also highlighted the cost of a poor start. Against a ranked opponent on the road, one strong half might not be enough to make up for one bad one.

2. Quentin Coleman Is Becoming a Major Piece of This Team

Freshman Quentin Coleman continues to make an impression. He finished with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 5-of-6 from three, while adding five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

14 of his points came in the second half, helping fuel Illinois’ comeback. Even more encouraging, it was his second consecutive game with 19 points.

Senior Andrej Stojaković also helped lead the charge, scoring 18 points, with 14 coming after halftime. Illinois has plenty of offensive talent, and the emergence of Coleman gives the team another player capable of making a difference.

3. Underwood Wants More Winning Plays

After the game, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood didn’t sugarcoat his team’s performance. Underwood said the Illini “melted” under pressure and adversity, emphasizing that making winning plays has nothing to do with scoring.

That was evident in several areas. Illinois was outrebounded 43-32, gave up 15 second-chance points and struggled at the free-throw line, finishing just 8-of-19. Texas Tech, meanwhile, went 23-of-26.

Underwood put the free-throw struggles in perspective: “I don't know if, in my lifetime, I've had a team go 8-for-20 from the free throw line.”

Those missed opportunities mattered in a six-point game. Illinois showed it could score and mount a comeback, but it needs to be tougher, more disciplined and more consistent in the moments that decide games.

The Bottom Line

There are positives to take from Illinois’ comeback, particularly Coleman’s continued emergence and the team’s second-half response. But the loss exposed some issues that go beyond shooting: rebounding, free throws and handling adversity.

The Illini have the talent to compete with anyone. Now they need to turn that talent into winning plays for 40 minutes.