Illinois Basketball: 4 keys for the Illini to knock off No. 2 Baylor
By Collin Allen
2. Contain Baylor’s stud guards
The Bears were able to retain their two leading scorers from the 2019 campaign, as guards Jared Butler and MaCio Teague have continued to lead Baylor through their first two games of the season.
During the 2019 campaign, Butler led Baylor in scoring with 16 points per game and shooting 42.1-percent from the field. He would also shoot a team-high 38.1-percent from three-point range as well. Teague would finish just behind Butler in scoring for the Bears, averaging 13.9 PPG. Teague would do this while shooting 40-percent from the field and 35.5-percent from beyond the arc.
Through their first two games, Butler continues to lead his squad in scoring, averaging 18.5 PPG and shooting an exceptional 60-percent from the field. The junior guard is also shooting an absurd 58.3-percent from three-point territory. Teague, like last season, is second in scoring for the Bears, averaging 18 PPG and shooting 50-percent from the floor.
The Illini are capable of slowing these guards down, as they rank No. 35 in the nation in scoring defense, only allowing 57.7 PPG on the young 2020-21 season. Baylor ranks No. 12 of the nation’s 353 teams in scoring, averaging 99 PPG.
This will matchup will consist of two guards from the NCAA preseason All-American First Team, as Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu and Butler will likely be guarding each other throughout the majority of the game.