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Illinois Basketball: 5 areas of improvement for the Illini

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 30: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini is seen before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at State Farm Center on January 30, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 30: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini is seen before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at State Farm Center on January 30, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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PISCATAWAY, NJ – FEBRUARY 25: Trent Frazier
PISCATAWAY, NJ – FEBRUARY 25: Trent Frazier /

4. Assists

Ball movement is huge in the game of basketball. You can’t go isolation too many times or you will be shut down as a team. Players need to touch the ball. The extra pass needs to be made. Ball movement is huge, especially in college.

Illinois was pretty average in this department last season. They were the No. 150 team in the nation in assists last season averaging 13.6 assists per game. This was right behind San Diego and right ahead of Iowa State.

The leader for the Illini last season in assists was actually Te’Jon Lucas. He finished the year averaging 3.2 APG. He departed from the team, though, but the No. 2 player on the team in assists was Trent Frazier. He finished the year averaging 3.1 APG.

The player who averaged at least 10 minutes per game and had the least amount of assists was Greg Eboigbodin. He only averaged .3 APG. This doesn’t come as a surprise, though, considering he is a big man.

Illinois lost their leading assists man from last year in Lucas. They should be okay, though. Brad Underwood did a great job solidifying the backcourt with the addition of Ayo Dosunmu and junior college transfer Andres Feliz. Feliz should make up for the lost production from Lucas and Dosunmu is going to give the Illini a guard element we haven’t seen in a while with his size and ability to get to the hoop.

Out of all the areas of improvement for the Illini, this is the one I think will improve for sure. They have better talent in the backcourt this season than last year. Illinois should be moving the ball better.

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