- The Athletic also had a list of 16 teams that can win it all. Illini check in at #16.* Archived Message
Posted by LovetheChief
on March 17, 2025, 9:01:03, in reply to "Team capsule from The Athletic"
 Previous MessageStrengths: Illinois owns the length and athleticism to compete against almost anyone. Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley are legitimate NBA lottery prospects who stuff the stat sheet through facilitations, dribble drives and arc splashes. As a collective, the Illini are capable of defending with the nation’s best. Seven-footer Tomislav Ivisic is a versatile rim protector who is disruptive on both ends. A phenomenal rebounding team, Illinois generates abundant second and third chances. When getting downhill, its kick-out game and free-throw conversions can demoralize the competition. Weaknesses: The Illini are kings of inconsistency. Yes, they’re talented enough to blow out early round foes by 30. However, their often unwavering devotion to the 3-pointer is extremely problematic. When they’ve settled for outside jumpers instead of attacking the rim, it’s led to prolonged scoring droughts. Down the regular season’s homestretch, Illinois also loosened defensively, ranking No. 286 in opponent's eFG% over its final eight games. That slide was only exacerbated by an alarming lack of frontcourt depth. Turnovers also took a toll. Frankly, predicting where the roulette wheel stops is an easier exercise than figuring out which Illini team shows up. Outlook: Enigmatic best describes Illinois. When bringing its best, it can flatten opponents in convincing fashion. However, when complacently chucking 3s and not staunchly defending, the Illini are susceptible to a knockout. The Orange and Blue recaptured their early season mojo the final two weeks of the regular season. Most importantly, key reserve Morez Johnson Jr. returned to action in the Big Ten tournament. With confidence regained and given their baseline talents, the Illini are quite possibly the most dangerous mid-seeded team in the entire Dance. —Brad Evans |
- CanHartlebHireSnider March 18, 2025, 16:02:46