Illinois Basketball: 4 keys for the Illini to beat Northwestern

2. Keep Northwestern’s three-point attempts down

While Illinois seems to have a much-improved three-point shooting team this season, Northwestern has just as good if not a better three-point squad.

The percentages between the two teams are very close. Illinois is coming into the game shooting 41.8-percent from behind the three-point. This is good enough for No. 7 in the nation. Northwestern is right there, as they hit 40-percent of their three-point shots, which is good enough for No. 14 in the nation.

There is one caveat to these numbers, though. The Wildcats are shooting more three-pointers and converting at roughly the same rate.

If you do the math, Illinois averages 17.8 three-point attempts per game and converts them at a rate of 41.8-percent. That means they are getting 22.32 points per game from three-pointers. The Wildcats are putting up 22.5 three-point attempts per game and converting at a rate of 40-percent. That means they are getting 27 points per game from three-pointers.

So, just from three-pointers alone, if averages hold, Northwestern is outscoring Illinois by about five points. What does this mean for the Illini? The perimeter defense needs to be stouter so the Wildcats aren’t firing up as many three-point attempts.

Illinois has the personnel to play great perimeter defense. Opponents are only hitting 31.1-percent of their three-point attempts against the Illini this season, which ranks No. 92 in the nation. That is the type of defense we need to see on Thursday night.

If Brad Underwood’s squad can hold Northwestern to fewer than 20 three-point attempts, then I think there is a great chance we come out of Evanston with a victory. Limiting their three-pointers is a must.