The Illini let a golden opportunity slip their fingers on Saturday afternoon in snowy East Lansing...falling short to the Michigan State Spartans inside the electric Breslin Center.

The highly ranked Spartans turned the ball over 14 times in an erratic first half and the Illini managed a halftime lead thanks to healthy contributions off the bench from Calvin Brock and Alex Legion.   The Illini  were shorthanded with both Mike Tisdale and Dominique Keller in foul trouble...and  they were getting hammered on the boards throughout the game.

In spite of all that...the Illini had a chance to steal one in front of the "Izzone"....where the Spartans have won 28 straight times.  As was the case with the Clemson and Michigan losses...the Illini gave up way too many layups late in the game and watched what was a winnable game slide into the loss column.  Plus...Bruce Weber expressed disappointment on our radio post-game show with his team's "toughness" late in the game Saturday.

The good news is that the Illini have skated through a very tough early Big Ten schedule with a 3-2 record  and I think most fans would have taken that January record at the start of practice in October. More good news: They  get to play at the Assembly Hall twice this week. 

The bad news is that the Illini are facing a pair of teams that have given them problems in the last couple of years...Ohio State and Wisconsin. 

The Ilini have been a surprising hit this year with a 15-3 record...and some kind of post-season (NIT or NCAA) is still a real possibility.  But  momentum can be a fickle thing... and if you are not careful...the negative momentum can sneak up on you before you realize it. That is what makes these next two games VERY important for Bruce Weber's team. 

I think there will be a LOT of Big Ten teams around the 20-win plateau by the time we get to the Big Ten Tournament in March...which will make it very important for the Illini to get a few  home wins stashed away in their back pocket before then.