Illinois Basketball: 3 ways the Illini can beat Penn State

CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 30: Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn (21) walks across the court during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 30, 2020, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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CHAMPAIGN, IL – FEBRUARY 07: Alan Griffin #0 of the Illinois Fighting Illini is seen during the game against the Maryland Terrapins at State Farm Center on February 7, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

The Illinois basketball team has now lost four-straight games, and I am starting to think the only solution is more cowbell.

Just a couple of weeks ago, the Illini were sitting atop the Big Ten standings looking down at all of the teams who have run roughshod over the Orange and Blue the past decade. It was a great feeling, but it didn’t last very long.

A loss at No. 18 Iowa is understandable yet heartbreaking all at the same time. We competed with No. 9 Maryland at home but fell just short. Illinois had Michigan State on the ropes after being down big, but that game didn’t go our way either. Then we went to Rutgers a man down and could have knocked off the Scarlet Knights but fell short again.

This four-game skid now has Illinois sitting No. 6 in the conference standings, only a half-game out of the double-bye top four we need to get to. That should be the goal right now. But to get to the coveted double-bye, we need to start winning games. That will all start with the game against Penn State on Tuesday. They are in the No. 2 spot in the Big Ten standings.

Here are three ways the Illini can beat Penn State.

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