Usually, transfers don’t work out for the Illinois basketball team for one reason or another.
The history of transfers not doing well for the Orange and Blue is extensive. But, the Illini found a great one in Andres Feliz. Here is a wrap-up of his 2018-2019 campaign.
Expectations
Coming into the season, I was actually expecting great things from Feliz. He was an addition to this team that actually had some college playing experience. He also put up big numbers in the junior college ranks.
While it was just Northwest Florida State, Feliz’s numbers were still impressive. He averaged 20 points, 6.1 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game during his sophomore season. Those were solid numbers that I would love to have for Illinois.
I was expecting Feliz to bring similar numbers to the Illini. I realize he wasn’t going to hit 20 points, though. My expectations were lower than that, but I did think he could give us big numbers off the bench to give the Illini stability at the point guard role.
Reality
As soon as Feliz stepped foot on the court, my expectations soon turned to reality. Everything I hoped and dreamed about came true. This kid was sensational from the get-go and was a huge piece to this Illinois team, despite the losing record.
Feliz finished his junior year with the Illini averaging 8.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. He always had big games when the team needed him as well. He put up 26 points in a win against Northwestern. He had 15 in a victory over Maryland. And he had 19 against UNLV in a victory.
The ability for Feliz to come off the bench and give some life to the Illinois team while the starters were resting was invaluable. The Illini may have lost a lot this season, but none of the blame can go on Feliz. This kid was sensational.
Future
Moving forward, Feliz is going to be a big part of this team. He is entering his senior season, and Illinois is poised to make a run in the NCAA tournament. He will be a key part of this backcourt.
Once again, I see Feliz being the primary backup to Ayo Dosunmu. He has done a great job in this role and continues to shine every night. I see him averaging something around what he averaged this season. I can’t ask for too much more out of a backup No. 1 guard who is coming off the bench. All I ask is that Feliz keeps doing what he is doing. This will help Illinois win games.