Saturday's game against Duke was, on paper, a great idea for Illinois. It was a rare opportunity to play in Madison Square Garden against the biggest brand in college basketball. Who could pass that up?

Saturday's Illinois-Duke matchup in New York City was meant to be a priming of the pump, a get-ready non-conference interlude that would allow both teams to get a feel for an NCAA Tournament environment and competition.

With seven players scoring in double figures, the No. 3 Duke Blue Devils posted yet another lopsided win, this one over Illinois of the Big Ten.

Illinois basketball’s performance against Duke was a result of poor execution across the board, as this game’s player grades reflect.