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Illinois basketball projected lineup with class of 2018

By Rees Woodcock

MORGANTOWN, WV - FEBRUARY 04: Brad Underwood of Oklahoma State Cowboys yells at the referee against the West Virginia Mountaineers at the WVU Coliseum on February 4, 2017 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
MORGANTOWN, WV - FEBRUARY 04: Brad Underwood of Oklahoma State Cowboys yells at the referee against the West Virginia Mountaineers at the WVU Coliseum on February 4, 2017 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /
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Illinois basketball
LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 10: Basketballs are shown in a ball rack before a semifinal game of the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament between the Fresno State Bulldogs and the Nevada Wolf Pack at the Thomas /

No. 4 Forward

Starter: Leron Black

Illinois will have some talented seniors when the 2018 season rolls around. One of those seniors will be Leron Black. He has been a main staple in the Illinois lineup for the last few years and is going to have a breakout year this season. He will then parlay that into an All-Big Ten type of year in 2018.

Black is a player who has so much talent but the previous coaching staff couldn’t get all the talent out of him. He still has time to redirect his career into what could be legend status if he hones some of his aggression and energy in the right direction on the court. In the NIT last season, Black was passionate and did a great job. I want to see more of that this season and in 2018 as well. He will be the starter at the No. 4 spot.

Backup: Michael Finke

Another fun senior to watch in 2018 will be Michael Finke. He has been a good player for the Illini and will be important in his final two years with the program. He can shoot the ball with the best of the best and will be a nice mismatch when he comes into the game.

Finke is likely to backup Black at the No. 4 spot in 2018. He needs to improve his defense a little and that would help enable him to become a great player on the court. It will be interesting to see how Underwood utilizes him on the basketball court.

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