The No. 6 ranked Illinois basketball team has had some bright spots throughout the first five games of the 2020-21 season, starting 4-1.
It’s safe to say that the Orange and Blue have captured the nation’s attention. This feat was no more evident than a convincing 83-69 win against No. 10 Duke, where the Illini dominated the game from start to finish in a valiant road effort.
Even though the team’s most recent victory is what Champaign is buzzing about, there have been some noticeable bright sports that have contributed to the team’s early-season success, which could pay dividends down the road.
Morgan Park alumni Ayo Dosunmu and Adam Miller have been two key assets thus far.
Dosunmu, a junior, has ushered in some eye-popping performances. In the Duke victory, Dosunmu put together an 18-point and 12-rebound performance while maintaining a 54.5-percent field goal percentage. He has also put up double-digits in two other victories, scoring 27 points against Ohio and 28 points against North Carolina A&T.
Therefore, if Dosunmu goes off, it’s safe to say that the Illini will dominate the majority of its offensive possessions and likely remain ahead or tied in the majority of its games.
Though he is only a freshman, Miller is showing signs of what the Illini may look like once Dosunmu departs for the NBA next season. While averaging 13.4 points per game, he has demonstrated his clutch gene thus far.
In his first collegiate game, Miller and Dosunmu took over on the offensive side of the ball, scoring a freshman-high 28 points. Since then, his point totals have decreased, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more to come from the young guard out of Chicago.
The Illini compete for the title of Braggin’ Rights prior to beginning conference play.
The Illini look to snap a three-year losing streak against its non-conference rival Missouri. Head coach Brad Underwood has brought home the trophy once before and looks to do it again.
This is a critical game for the Illini if they want to keep pace and recapture a top-five ranking next week prior to Big Ten play.
Buckle up for a wild ride as Christmas is vastly approaching.