Illinois Basketball: 5 takeaways from the Illini win over Nebraska

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: Mark Smith /

4. Mark Smith impressed me on Sunday

There wasn’t much to rave about in regards to the Illinois bench on Sunday. Only three players scored on the bench and two of those players each had only two points. The big bench scorer for the Illini ended up being Mark Smith.

Smith has been absolutely dreadful during the Big Ten season this year. He has now averaged only 3.2 points per game in the 15 Big Ten contests he has played in. Those are not the numbers I expected from him entering this season.

Despite having a less than stellar year, Smith still keeps his head up and that is what I like to see. He hasn’t lost the confidence that helped him win the Illinois Mr. Basketball award his senior season at Edwardsville High School. He continues to fight and that is all I can ask for.

In the game against Nebraska, Smith actually showed me something that I hadn’t seen in a while. He was active in every facet of the game. He ended the night with eight points and three assists on 2-of-3 shooting from the field and 1-of-2 from the three-point arc.

Smith has a lot to offer this Illinois basketball team. The ceiling for him is extremely high, and I can’t wait to see what he turns into. The Illini will need him, and having him develop the end of this year will only help the team next year.

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