Illinois Basketball: 4 keys for the Illini to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes

4. Rebounding should be our strength

Throughout much of the 2020-21 campaign, rebounding has been a strength of the Illinois basketball program. They have pulled down an average of 40.3 rebounds per game, which ranks No. 12 in the nation.

Against some of the best teams, Illinois has been able to dominate the rebounding battle. In the last game against Michigan, the Illini pulled down 42 rebounds compared to Michigan who only had 26 boards.

This type of rebounding performance didn’t happen in the first Ohio State game, though. While the Buckeyes only managed to snag 28 rebounds, Illinois only pulled down 29 rebounds the entire night.

In fact, the 29 rebounds for the Illini were the second-lowest total of the season. The only other time Illinois has fewer rebounds was in the Missouri game when we only pulled down 20 rebounds.

There is a correlation between rebounding and success too. When Illinois pulls down 34 or fewer rebounds in a game, they are 3-5 on the season. When the Illini snag 35 or more rebounds, the team is 16-1. That is a huge difference when it comes to rebounding the basketball.

So, I think it is simple. Illinois needs to crash the glass. I am not just talking about Kofi Cockburn pulling down double-digit rebounds either. I need to see our guards being aggressive when it comes to rebounding. Multiple Illini guards should have at least four rebounds on the night. That is what I am looking for.

Ohio State is going to be tough, but as long as Illinois is crashing the glass, we should be okay. Let’s get to the 35 rebounds mark and see if we can make the number 17-1 this season.