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Illinois Basketball: 4 observations from the Illini loss to Maryland

By Rees Woodcock

Jan 21, 2022; College Park, Maryland, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood looks onto the court during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2022; College Park, Maryland, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood looks onto the court during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Illinois basketball
Jan 11, 2022; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn (21) chases down a loose ball against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /

Illinois basketball played a man down on Friday night, and it showed as Maryland put a thumping on us.

Hours before the game started, it was announced the Illini would be playing without Kofi Cockburn for at least the Maryland game. He is dealing with a concussion from the Purdue matchup.

With Kofi out, Illinois needed to find a way to sneak past Maryland. The Terrapins aren’t a good program right now, but they absolutely blitzed the Illini on Friday night. Illinois didn’t have an answer for Maryland’s game plan. A 44-point second half by the Terrapins would propel them to an 81-65 victory over the Illini.

Here are four observations from the Illinois basketball loss to Maryland.

1. Dear Kofi, I miss you

For the first time since the Marquette game back on November 15, the Illinois basketball program suited up without their big man, Kofi Cockburn.

When the news first broke, I thought this was a rough way to enter the Maryland game but that we had found something with Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk against Purdue. So, we should be alright.

Well, I was wrong. Kofi missed the game against the Terrapins, and everything went off the rails. Defensively, we couldn’t stop anyone who entered the lane. Maryland scored 81 points and only made four three-pointers the entire game. That means we couldn’t stop them when they entered the paint.

Offensively, we were extremely constipated as well. Illinois doesn’t know what to do when there is no serious threat on the inside. Teams don’t take our big men seriously without Kofi on the floor.

The inside-out game didn’t work against Maryland. Illinois would end up passing the ball around the perimeter, set a few screens, and then missed a deep shot for most of the game. This is not a winning style of offense.

Even when Kofi has a bad game, his presence alone makes Illinois a better team. Other teams have to game plan for him. They have to put a lot of effort into guarding him. But, when he is missing from the lineup, everything breaks down.

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