Oops.

It’s not as if anyone expected an undefeated season, but when Illinois raced out to a 3-0 start and this week topped the AP poll, there was certainly optimism that the Illini had a chance to knock off No. 8 in Alabama on Wednesday in Birmingham.

Bama quickly shut down that thought, jumping out to an early 36-21 lead in the first half and (almost) never looking back. Illinois suffered its first loss of the season as the Tide rolled 100-87.

Coach Brad Underwood had been open about the defensive concerns surrounding his club all offseason, but through three games the Illini had looked pretty solid on that end. Alabama wasn’t just a different animal than any opponent Illinois had yet to face, though—the Tide, college basketball’s top-ranked team a year ago, were an irresistible force.

But the questions that had occupied Underwood’s offseason practices also happened to rear their heads at the most inopportune time. Poor on-ball defense, late rotations (or none at all) and weak end plays were the norm for the Illini against the Tide, and it showed — in a crisp, well-rounded figure — as Bama cruised to a 100-point performance.

And it was hardly a trouble-free night for Illinois on offense. The Illini gave away points and possessions with poor free throw shooting and turnovers all night.

But like most games, no matter how awful the outcome, there were bright spots. Here are two silver linings to be found from Illinois’ first loss of the season:

Boswell has been outstanding on defense through four games as an Illini. Lockdown guard held Alabama preseason All-American guard Mark Sears to only the second scoreless game of his college career — and his first in four year. What came as a slightly bigger but welcome surprise was Boswell’s performance at the other end. After entering the game averaging 5.0 points on 25.0 percent shooting, Boswell put up 17 points and three assists against Bama, showing his ability to get to the racket and finish on both sides of the rim. Boswell’s offensive breakout was bound to happen at some point, but his ability to consistently utilize those skills could be an X-factor in determining how successful a season this could be for the Illini.

One question Illinois hoped to answer in the affirmative was whether its outstanding rebounding performance through three games would be sustainable against opponents with elite size and athleticism. And aside from one possession in which the Illini gave up three offensive boards on Wednesday, the Illini were able to answer with a resounding “yes.” They outscored Bama 44-37, an impressive margin considering Illinois had less favorable rebounding opportunities (very more missed shots overall). While the loss at Alabama highlighted some glaring issues for the Illini, it also made it clear that rebounding is not one of them.

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Instant Analysis: Alabama takes down Illinois 100-87