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Illinois Basketball: 4 observations from the Illini loss to Baylor

By Rees Woodcock

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 02: Trent Frazier #1 of the Illinois Fighting Illini dribbles the ball against the Baylor Bears during the Jimmy V Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 02, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 02: Trent Frazier #1 of the Illinois Fighting Illini dribbles the ball against the Baylor Bears during the Jimmy V Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 02, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Illinois basketball
Nov 25, 2020; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn (21) goes up for a shot against the North Carolina A&T Aggies during the first half at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Illinois needs Kofi in the middle of the paint

The national spotlight was on the Illinois basketball team for the first time in ages. I know we played some big games last season, but we haven’t had a game like this since 2004-05.

With the spotlight on the program, one of our best players in Kofi Cockburn shrunk. It is hard to say that because he is 7-foot and almost 300-pounds, but Kofi wasn’t there when the Illini needed him the most.

On Wednesday night, Kofi was dominated by Baylor. He finished the game with 7 points, 4 rebounds and 1 block while only playing 18 minutes due to getting in foul trouble early in the first and second half.

This isn’t anything new for Illinois, though. There were quite a few times in 2019-20 where Kofi struggled on the court. In fact, I can make a case that as Kofi goes, the Illini go.

Over the past two seasons, which includes this year, there have been eight games where Kofi has failed to score double-digit points. In those eight contests, Illinois is 1-7 as a program, which includes the game last night.

I think it is pretty simple, teams are honing in on Kofi to stop him. If he gets going, Illinois is almost unstoppable. While the Illini are 1-7 when Kofi doesn’t score double-digit points, the program is then 23-4 when Kofi does hit at least 10 points in a game. That is an incredible difference.

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