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Illinois Basketball: 4 big questions for the Illini vs Jackson State

By Rees Woodcock

Mar 2, 2021; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andre Curbelo (5) dribbles defended by Michigan Wolverines guard Mike Smith (12) in the second half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 2, 2021; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andre Curbelo (5) dribbles defended by Michigan Wolverines guard Mike Smith (12) in the second half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Illinois basketball
MADISON, WISCONSIN – FEBRUARY 27: Coleman Hawkins #33 of the Illinois Fighting Illini attempts a shot in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at the Kohl Center on February 27, 2021 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

The first game for the Illinois basketball team is just one calendar day away.

I didn’t think this day would come. It feels like forever since the Illini played their last basketball game. Since that awful day in the second round of the NCAA tournament, there has been a lot of change within the program.

Some of that change has been good, some has been bad. But one thing is for certain. The Illini are locked and loaded and ready to make another run at a national title. The trek starts with Jackson State on Tuesday.

Here are four big questions for the Illinois basketball team vs Jackson State.

1. The big man situation?

I think the big man situation is the biggest thing Illinois fans need to keep an eye on in the Jackson State game.

In case you have been living under a rock the past couple of weeks, Illini center Kofi Cockburn is suspended for the first three games of the season. That means he is going to miss the game against the Tigers on Tuesday.

The good news is Jackson State shouldn’t be a good team this year as their best player departed the program. The bad news is Illinois doesn’t have a great backup for Kofi.

In my head, the best backup situation for the preseason All-American is Coleman Hawkins. He has good size at 6-foot-10, and I believe Hawkins is more athletic than any other big man options.

The other serious option for Illinois would be Omar Payne. A recent transfer into the Illini program, Payne has good size at 6-foot-10, but he is an offensive liability. The coaching staff didn’t play him very often in the preseason either. I think they trust Hawkins more. At the end of the day, keep an eye on the big man situation.

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