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Illinois Basketball: 5 takeaways from the Illini win over Nebraska

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 22: Illinois Fighting Illini cheerleaders perform during the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Michigan State Spartans on January 22, 2018 at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 22: Illinois Fighting Illini cheerleaders perform during the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Michigan State Spartans on January 22, 2018 at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – FEBRUARY 08: Leron Black
CHAMPAIGN, IL – FEBRUARY 08: Leron Black /

2. I hope Leron Black isn’t a Malcolm Hill 2.0

This season has been a roller coaster of emotions. Watching Illinois play is gut-wrenching at times but sometimes I really enjoy seeing some of the players play despite the bad record. One of those players is Leron Black.

Black was sensational once again on Sunday. He was a big reason why the Illini came away with a victory over a potentially NCAA tournament bound Cornhuskers team. He finished the night with 28 points and seven rebounds in the 31 minutes of action. He was pretty efficient as well going 11-of-18 from the field and 3-of-4 from the three-point arc.

The tremendous season Black has had – 15.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game – is going to get lost in the fact the Illini have had one of the worst seasons in program history. That is the sad part. Black has been one of the most dominant players I have seen in recent memory but that memory will likely fade due to the team’s lack of success.

Black still has one more year after this in which I am hoping for an NCAA tournament berth from this Illini program. He deserves to see meaningful postseason action. I don’t want Black to be Malcolm Hill 2.0. Hill never had a chance to go dancing despite his great career with the program. Hopefully, Black doesn’t fall to the same fate, though.

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