Writing Illini
Fansided

Illinois Basketball: 5 eye-popping improvements for Illini in 2019-2020

By Rees Woodcock

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - JANUARY 21: Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn (21) reacts after dunking the ball during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Purdue Boilermakers on January 21, at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - JANUARY 21: Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn (21) reacts after dunking the ball during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Purdue Boilermakers on January 21, at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
Illinois basketball
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS – FEBRUARY 27: Alan Griffin #0 of the Illinois Fighting Illini reacts after making a three point basket in the second half against the Northwestern Wildcats at Welsh-Ryan Arena on February 27, 2020 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

1. Average scoring margin

To win basketball games, your team has to score more points than the other team. It is literally that simple. But when you have a negative scoring margin, that means you aren’t winning too many games.

The Illini only won 12 games in 2018-19 and that was the case because we couldn’t outscore the other team. Illinois’ average scoring margin that season was -2.6. That means when you combine every game that season, we averaged losing by 2.6 points per game.

Any improvement to that number is a good thing. Getting back into the positive would be a solid accomplishment. In fact, only about half of the NCAA DI programs had a positive scoring margin. Illinois didn’t just get the scoring margin back into the positive, though. They took it to another level.

Illinois went from a -2.6 scoring margin in 2018-19 to a +5.4 scoring margin this past season. They were nearly seven points better this season than last season. That is an incredible improvement. There were multiple reasons for this improvement as well.

Alan Griffin emerging as a solid bench option was incredible. Andres Feliz coming into his own and being a bulldog was amazing. But adding Kofi Cockburn put this team over the top. His presence in the paint made this team one of the best programs in the country.

Home/Illinois Basketball