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

4. Can we put Jackson State away early?

Starting the season as the No. 11 team in the country comes with the expectations that we will look like the No. 11 team in the country.

Illinois basketball is one of the top programs in the country. One of the major things I will be keeping an eye on is if we can get off to a good start and put Jackson State away early on in the game.

I realize that we are missing an All-American center in Kofi Cockburn. This will hurt the Orange and Blue. But, let’s be honest, Illinois from top to bottom has more talent than the Tigers. We should be able to take care of business by just out-talenting Jackson State.

A big part of putting a team away early is the chemistry on the court. Can Illinois find the chemistry with their lineups so the team can score? This is a great time to experiment with different groupings on the court. But I also want to make sure Jackson State is out of the game in the first half.

I will be keeping an eye on if Illinois can get out to a sizeable lead in the first half with their regular starting lineup and first rotation off the bench. If they come out sluggish, I will be slightly concerned. But a goal should be to send Jackson State packing early.