Illinois Basketball: Which Illini players hit expectations in 2017-2018

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 20: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini gives instructions to his players 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: Te’Jon Lucas /

Te’Jon Lucas

Expectation: Did Not Hit

When I say the expectation did not hit for Te’Jon Lucas, that doesn’t mean I was disappointed with him. There was a slight moment in there where I wasn’t sure what was going on with him, but overall I was happy with his development.

Heading into the season I was expecting Lucas to be starting the entire year. This means he would have averaged somewhere around 10 points and 5 assists per game. Those expectations weren’t met, but I think he found a new role that will benefit the team moving forward.

While Lucas isn’t going to be starting anymore for the Illini, he still is the No. 1 backup behind Frazier and this seemed to have been working out well last season. When Frazier needed a breather, Lucas would come in and there wouldn’t be a huge drop off in production. Having Lucas be the backup is great for the program because he is extremely talented.

Lucas ended up averaging 5.7 points, 3.2 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. His production helped this team tremendously. I hope he sticks around and doesn’t transfer as well. He will be used a lot next season. While he didn’t meet the expectations set for him to begin the year, I think he developed his shot and his role on this team.

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