Illinois Basketball: 4 keys for the Illini to beat the Iowa Hawkeyes
By Collin Allen
The Illinois basketball team has a gigantic opportunity to knock off one of college basketball’s most talented teams as the Illini host No. 7 Iowa on Friday night.
What will Illinois need to do in order to knock off their fellow ranked Big Ten foe? Here are four keys for the Illini to knock off the Hawkeyes.
1. Throw the first punch
One glaring problem the Illini have encountered this season has been their slow starts. This was most notable in their win versus Northwestern earlier this year, as the Illini seemingly sleepwalked through the first half of that game.
The Orange and Blue would trail the Wildcats by 15 points at halftime. A huge second half would ultimately propel the Illini to an 81-56 victory.
Illinois also started slowly in their January 16 matchup versus Ohio State. The Illini would, again, trail by 15 points at the half. Their second-half rally would fall just short, losing to the then-No. 21 ranked Buckeyes by a score of 87-81.
If Illinois happens to start slow again on Friday night, things will most likely get ugly very quickly. Unlike Northwestern, who is in the bottom half of the Big Ten, the No. 7 ranked Hawkeyes are one of the most dangerous and talented squads in the entire nation. A slow start against Iowa will likely not end well for the Illini.
The Orange and Blue will need to come out with energy from both their players on the floor and noise from their bench. Early momentum could prove to be vital for the Illini.