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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: An Illinois Fighting Illini dancer is seen during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at State Farm Center on February 8, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL – FEBRUARY 08: An Illinois Fighting Illini dancer is seen during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at State Farm Center on February 8, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

5. I can’t wait for Ayo Dosunmu

Listen, I know there will likely be some individuals who say that we need a big man. I get it, I agree with you. Illinois needs to go after a graduate transfer big man for next season. But, I think Ayo Dosunmu is going to make a bigger difference than most people think.

Dosunmu is a superstar guard coming in from the class of 2018. Illinois has had to rely on some less than stellar guard play this season. The only guard to have consistently played well is Trent Frazier and he is a true freshman. He is also the only Big Ten starting caliber guard we have on the roster right.

I can’t wait to get Dosunmu into an Orange and Blue jersey so we can start winning some more games. No matter what anyone says, Illinois will win more games next season because Dosunmu is on the court. Here is a stat that will blow your mind.

Illinois is currently 13-15 overall on the season and 3-12 in Big Ten play. They have had eight losses this season that have been one score games with less than three minutes remaining in the contest. So that means the Illini were down three points or less with less than three minutes in the game in those eight games. Adding a player like Dosunmu could close out those games and potentially make those losses into wins.

Next: Top class of 2018 recruiting targets for the Illini

If you flip those eight games that were close down the stretch into victories, Illinois would then sit with a 21-7 overall record and they would be 8-7 in Big Ten play. That is an NCAA tournament team. Listen, folks, we aren’t that far off.

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