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Illinois Basketball: Illini Players Improving or Declining this Season?

By Rees Woodcock

Mar 3, 2016; College Park, MD, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Malcolm Hill (21) drives to the basket as Maryland Terrapins forward Robert Carter (4) defends during the first half at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 3, 2016; College Park, MD, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Malcolm Hill (21) drives to the basket as Maryland Terrapins forward Robert Carter (4) defends during the first half at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 11, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Jalen Coleman-Lands (5) leads a fast break against Purdue Boilermakers guard P.J. Thompson (3) and center A.J. Hammons (20) during the Big Ten Conference tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Jalen Coleman-Lands (5) leads a fast break against Purdue Boilermakers guard P.J. Thompson (3) and center A.J. Hammons (20) during the Big Ten Conference tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

Jalen Coleman-Lands (Declined)

One of the best shooters on this Illinois basketball team is Jalen Coleman-Lands.  I still think once his time is done in Champaign he will be one of the best ever.

Coleman-Lands had to live up to a really good freshman campaign.  He is around the same number of minutes this season.  He went from 26.1 MPG last year to 25.8 MPG this year.

The scoring production has decreased, though.  He averaged 10.3 PPG last season and now he is at 8.6 PPG this year.  Illinois needs points and he isn’t filling the bill.

Coleman-Lands has improved his rebounding from 1.9 RPG last season to 2.1 RPG this season.  That is nice to see a guard being able to rebound as well.

I am worried about Coleman-Lands shooting efficiency, though.  He went from 41.2-percent shooting from the field to 36.7-percent this year.

The three-point shooting has decreased as well.  He was at 42.2-percent last season and now he is at 37.8-percent this season.

Coleman-Lands has increased his free throw shooting.  He was at 75-percent last year and now he is at 77.8-percent this year.

Illinois needs Coleman-Lands to be a sharpshooter and he hasn’t been able to this season.  I have to say his game has declined this season

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