Illinois Basketball: 5 observations from the Illini win over Maryland

5. I think we need to still switch up the lineup

Illinois had, by far, their biggest win of the season on Saturday. They went to the east coast and took on the No. 13 ranked Maryland Terrapins. The Illini got down early but fought back and won the game.

Despite this great win, I still think there need to be lineup changes. The fact we won is amazing, but I think we can win more with a different starting lineup.

Of course, Ayo Dosunmu, Trent Frazier and Giorgi Bezhanishvili need to start. These three are the bedrock of this program and will help us win games in the future. The change I have is coming with the other two positions. I also mentioned this in my previous observation slideshow as well.

I want to see Tevian Jones in the starting lineup still. I mentioned this previously, but Jones should be starting because of what he brings to the table. He should replace Aaron Jordan because he is a better shooter and has more energy than Jordan. They are both good rebounders, but Jones brings more to the table.

I also think Alan Griffin needs to start of Da’Monte Williams. Yes, I realize Williams is a much better defender than Griffin, but I think Griffin’s offensive ability trumps the defensive ability of Williams. We didn’t get to see Griffin that much, but he was 1-of-2 from the three-point arc. He can put the ball in the hoop. Williams also failed to score as well.

A win is a great thing, but the lineup still needs to be adjusted. This Illini team could finish the season strong. I would like to see some adjustments.