The Illinois basketball program is starting to find its rhythm, as it moved up three spots to No. 12 in the AP Poll ahead of its next two games.
After a mini rough patch that saw Illinois fall to Rutgers, the team has responded well to its recent adversity.
Riding momentum off of back-to-back home wins against Indiana and Purdue, the Illini look to extend its streak to five-straight, as they travel to Northwestern on Thursday before returning home to Champaign for a Sunday night tilt against Maryland.
Here are three things to watch for during this next set of games.
1. Turnovers cannot become routine.
The Illini dug themselves into a deep hole against Purdue, giving up a 19-0 run which allowed the Boilermakers to make the game interesting and eventually take the lead early in the second half.
The offense finally got out of its slump, as Da’Monte Williams propelled the Illini with 12 points and hit two late critical baskets to seal the victory. While the win was well-earned, the Orange and Blue have to do a better job of protecting the ball.
2. Protect home court, steal the road wins.
To contend and win a conference championship, good teams have to find ways to compete even away from home.
Thus far, the Illini have struggled to find consistency outside of the State Farm Center. This first week of January is a good test for the nation’s No. 12 team, as they get the benefit of both worlds in a span of three days.
Illinois also takes on a Wildcats team that’s in the midst of a two-game skid and wants to turn the season around. With a win, the Illini can retain the title as the state’s best team, at least for now.
3. Keep climbing the rankings.
In college basketball, there are no days off, especially when expectations are immensely high in Champaign.
Every week is a chance to prove something, and the Illini’s quest near the top 10 shows that the Big Ten will not go away quietly come March. Keep winning and that number will continue to get smaller and will likely help with seeding at the end of the year.
Let’s see if the Illini can keep winning before the schedule becomes more difficult in the coming weeks. Only time will tell.