Illinois Basketball: 4 big questions for the Illini against Arizona

4. Will the team show up?

I know this sounds like a simple thing to watch out for, but it has been something that has been the difference in quite a few games this season.

In the Iowa victory just days ago, the Illini had the entire team show up in a big way. Kofi Cockburn and Alfonso Plummer continued their tear. They combined for 38 points and 20 rebounds.

Jacob Grandison provided the bench scoring with 21 points as a reserve. The bench combined for 21 points, eights rebounds, and two assists.

I loved that Trent Frazier broke out of his funk. He ended the game with 18 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

You can go down the list of players and see that everyone contributed something at some point in the game. Having the entire team contributing helped Illinois beat Iowa.

I am going to be watching to see if the entire team shows up against Arizona. We are going to need it if we want to extend our winning streak.

While we need the regulars to score on the offensive end, I think the defensive end of the court is going to be the most important thing. Great team defensive is going to be huge. Frazier and Da’Monte Williams are going to need to do their thing. Coleman Hawkins has emerged as a great defensive threat with his 7-foot wingspan. And, obviously, Kofi is going to need to be the best version of himself on defense.

A true team effort will enable the Illini to win the game on Saturday. Can they do it, though? That is what I will be keeping an eye on.