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

2. Will Coleman Hawkins keep up his great play?

Coming into the 2021-22 campaign, there had been a lot of talk about how good Coleman Hawkins could be on the basketball court. Brad Underwood was even praising the kid.

In the absence of a few players against Jackson State, Hawkins finally had a chance to shine, and he didn’t disappoint.

Hawkins would finish the Jackson State game with 13 points, eight rebounds, four steals, three assists, and one block while shooting 4-of-10 from the field and 2-of-6 from three-point range. He also hit 3-of-4 free throws.

I was impressed with Hawkins’ first game as a full-time starter. He played 29 minutes and filled up the stat sheet with great numbers. I also loved his energy on the court. Hawkins was moving and making plays all night long.

The adrenaline had to be pumping for Hawkins against the Tigers. I want to see if he can keep up that energy against Arkansas State on Friday night.

Can Hawkins give me roughly the same stat line? I would also like to see him cut down on his turnovers a little bit. He was playing a little wild at times and finished the game with four turnovers. I want to see that number around two turnovers.

Hawkins is clearly a great player and will be a huge asset to the Illini this season and moving forward. These early games will help him develop. Let’s see if he can have back-to-back great games.