The Illinois basketball team lost Jalen Coleman-Lands to the transfer market today.
This was a big loss for the Illini because they needed depth at the guard position. Coleman-Lands was supposed to be a legend at Illinois but that clearly won’t come to fruition.
Here is how the lineup will look without Coleman-Lands.
No. 1 Guard
Starter: Te’Jon Lucas
Te’Jon Lucas is the returning starting point guard on the team. He is a true point guard in every aspect of the term. Look for him to continue as the starting point guard for at least the beginning of the season.
Lucas had a pretty good year last season, all things considered. He averaged 4.8 points and 3.1 assists per game for a coaching regime that didn’t know what they were doing. This season should be even better than last.
Last season, Lucas had a season high in points against Iowa. The Illini won that game and he dropped 12 points in the victory. His season high in assists came against Michigan early on in the year. Illinois won that game as well and he finished with eight assists. This upcoming season should be special for Lucas, and he brings solid veteran leadership.
Backup: Trent Frazier
Coming in from the class of 2017 is Trent Frazier. He is one of the three current commitments for this upcoming season, and he will provide depth at point guard.
Expect Frazier to see a good amount of minutes early on in his career. He is going to be thrust into the lineup day one and will likely be a superstar for this team.