Illinois Basketball: 4 keys for the Illini to knock off No. 2 Baylor

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Nov 27, 2020; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Da’Monte Williams (20) hits a three point shot during the second half against the Ohio Bobcats at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Take high-percentage shots

This may seem like an obvious key, but points will certainly not be easy to come by in Wednesday night’s matchup.

Baylor is one of the best defensive squad’s in the nation, as they finished No. 7 in scoring defense during the 2019-20 campaign. The Bears allowed only 60.1 points per game last season. They would also finish No. 43 in the nation in blocks per game, averaging 4.4 blocks on the year.

The Bears are coming off a victory on Sunday vs. Washington where they held the Huskies to only 52 points. Baylor would hold Washington to a very poor 36.5-percent shooting performance. They would also hold them to only 20-percent from beyond the arc.

Through their first three games, Illinois has been a prolific scoring team, as they rank No. 14 in the nation in scoring, averaging 98.7 PPG. The Illini also rank No. 13 in the country in field goal percentage, shooting 56-percent from the floor on the year.

Unlike last year, the Illini are also shooting well from beyond the arc, as they shoot a phenomenal 46.9-percent from three-point range, which ranks No. 13 in the country.

If the Illini want to score against this stout Baylor defense, they will need to continue shooting at the rate they have been so far this season. Illinois will also need star players Ayo Dosunmu and Adam Miller to continue being consistent shooters, as the two have shot a combined 57.6-percent from the field so far on the year.

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