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Illinois Basketball: 5 takeaways from Illini loss to Michigan State 2.0

By Rees Woodcock

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 20: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini looks on during a game against the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center on February 20, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 20: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini looks on during a game against the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center on February 20, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – FEBRUARY 20: Leron Black
EAST LANSING, MI – FEBRUARY 20: Leron Black /

3. Leron Black continues great year

Despite a bad year by the Illinois basketball team, Leron Black continues to be a bright spot. He has been sensational this season, and I hope he can continue this the rest of the year.

So far this season, Black has only had four games where he failed to hit the double-digit scoring mark. Over the past three games alone he has averaged 22.6 points per game. Those are numbers that could compete for Big Ten Player of the Year if the team was better.

Black continued his great play on Tuesday night against Michigan State. He finished the game with 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field and 1-of-2 from the three-point arc. He is a player this Illini team can’t afford to lose, but that is one of my worries heading into next season.

Black is currently in graduate school at Illinois, and he could possibly become a graduate transfer after this season and go to another program. This would kill the Illini. They need him for next season because they have zero size right now. He would be a starter as well.

Illinois continues to feed Black the ball, and he does great things with it. He is having a great season with this program. Hopefully, he sticks around next season as well.

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