Writing Illini
Fansided

Illinois Basketball: 5 takeaways from the Illini loss to Purdue

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - FEBRUARY 22: A fan picks up the front page of The Daily Illini, the University of Illinois' student newspaper, before the start of the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on February 22, 2018, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - FEBRUARY 22: A fan picks up the front page of The Daily Illini, the University of Illinois' student newspaper, before the start of the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on February 22, 2018, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
CHAMPAIGN, IL – FEBRUARY 22: Illinois Fighting Illini cheerleaders perform during a timeout in the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on February 22, 2018, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL – FEBRUARY 22: Illinois Fighting Illini cheerleaders perform during a timeout in the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on February 22, 2018, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

1. Illinois has fight just not enough talent

The Illinois basketball team has proved time and time again this season that they have a ton of fight. This program isn’t that far away from being competitive again and, honestly, I think it is just a lack of talent right now.

I know that seems like the obvious answer, but it is blatantly true. So many times, the Illini have been close in games this year and in a vast majority of those contests they end up on the losing side. If my calculations are correct, I believe Illinois is 5-8 this season in games that are one possession contests with less than three minutes to go.

What this means to mean is Illinois can get to the point of closing out games, but they just don’t have a closer. Just imagine what the team will be like when Ayo Dosunmu takes over as one of the starting guards. Illinois will finally have their closer.

Even though the Purdue game wasn’t one possession with under three minutes remaining – it was actually two possessions – the Illini have proven they are a team to be reckoned with in the future. They have a head coach who is one of the best in the nation, and they are starting to stockpile talent. This team is going to win a Big Ten title in the next three seasons.

Home/Illinois Basketball