Ahead of the Rivalry Game, What Is the Illinois Team Missing?

The Illinois Fighting Illini are going with an 8-2 record and for now, are dominating the game. They occupy the second spot in the Big Ten and are positioned at the 13th spot in the AP Polls. But like other teams, they’ve got their weaknesses.

Taking cognizance of the fact that they lost two big games against the Marquette Golden Eagles and the Tennessee Volunteers, the Fighting Illini need to close gaps in their team.

What’s troubling the Illinois?

Critics are of the opinion that they need another player other than their guard Terrence Shannon Jr. to step up and bear the onus of the team’s plans execution. There is no denying the fact the Brad Underwood team has performed exceptionally well. But most of their games have come home due to Shannon Jr.’s consistency. He is a leader in points and assists average for the Fighting Illini. He has besotted a humongous 20.9 points per game with 2.4 assists per match. But other than that no one has accepted accountability on a regular basis for the 13th ranked team.

Things would have been more dominant for the Illinois had they got the Louisville Cardinals guard Skyy Clark. Clark was once with the Illinois team but chose to opt out of the NCAA 2022-23 season after playing 13 matches due to some family reasons. He then went ahead with the Cardinals for this season, entering the transfer portal in the off-season. Had Clark still been with the Illinois team, then they would have been a more formidable roster this season. 

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The Illinois has been relying on their guard Ty Rodgers to create opportunities for them. A lot of critics regarded him as an undersized four. Another interesting stat for the Illinois is that Terrence has shot 41.5% three-pointers whereas their other guard Luke Goode has dropped 46% three-pointers. Other than the two, none of the guys have really made a mark with their shooting skills. Though the Illinois are managing with these two guys, it is putting extra pressure on their defense.

Chinks in Armour

Who knows things would have been different had other players too chipped in with their mid-range shooting and three-pointers. They could have won both their contests against the Marquette and the Tennessee. If the Illinois could shoot better then it would help them set the defense which translates to their opponents having difficulty in scoring against them.

Taking cognizance of the lack of a point guard, their forward Marcus Domask should make the best use of his skills and contribute at least 15 to 17 points per game. He averages a decent 11.8 points per game which is paltry going by his standards. He smashed 6 points against the Tennessee whereas against the Florida Owls he smoked a season-high 33 points. He seems to have the potential, all he needs is to be consistent. 

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The Illinois needs to have a good ceiling and hopefully Domask will be able to provide them one.