Illinois Preview

ILL! As a longtime Illini fan and college basketball follower, I have seen this team through the depths of hell and I've seen them at the peaks of the sport. I remember watching them go 10-21, their worst season in franchise history, and I was right there when they won the Big Ten Championship and became a one-seed. I have my student season tickets as always and will be there for as many games as humanly possible, watching the rest on TV of course. I've been following them the most this offseason with a whopping ten new players, and here's how I think things will go this season.

Projected Lineup:

PG Kylan Boswell

CG Kasparas Jakucionis

SF Will Riley

PF Ty Rodgers

C Tomislav Ivisic

Bench Roles:

SF Tre White

PF Ben Humrichous

CG Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn

C Carey Booth

SF Morez Johnson Jr

Reserves:
SF Jake Davis

C Jason Jakstys (potential redshirt)

This team is DEEP. With seven potential starters (Hum and White), I don't believe foul trouble or a cold shooting night will stop them. Speaking of shooters, there's a really high ceiling here. I know Underwood wanted to replicate his offensive successes from last year, and he delivered. KJ has size and can shoot, he did so in Lithuania. Humrichous can shoot like Luka Garza at 6 foot 9, DGL showed flashes last year, especially during the tournament against Morehead St. Don't forget Jake Davis, who's known for his ability to light it up.

I'm aware Illinois was not ranked in the preseason poll, getting just 92 votes and being the first team out. I was a little shocked to see that, but I understand that it's a very new team. Team chemistry won't be easy, and this could absolutely become a recurring problem. We don't know who'll go to the draft and who will transfer, but the possibility of 6-8 new guys could happen again. I like the secret scrimmage against Butler and the exhibition against Ole Miss, I'd even push for other games just to get minutes with people you'll be in the rotation with.

Predictions: 22-9 (13-7), T-3 in the standings, 5 seed