The Illinois basketball season is almost over, but there is still work left to do to position ourselves better in the NCAA tournament.
Thursday night will pose a tougher than expected challenge. Penn State is not a bad team, so the Illini need to be on their toes so they don’t get clipped here late in the 2021-22 campaign. I have some big questions I think could be answered on Thursday night.
Here are four big questions for the Illinois basketball team against Penn State.
1. Who will win the big man battle?
Illinois has a special big man in Kofi Cockburn. He has put the team on his back at various times this season and is the main reason Illinois is a top 25 program.
Kofi’s 2021-22 campaign has been amazing thus far. He has averaged 21.5 points and 10.7 rebounds per game while hitting his shots from the field at a clip of 60.1%. I have never seen anything like him in an Illini uniform, and I may never see it again.
In addition to the great season Kofi is having, he is also the only player in college basketball who ranks in the top 10 in both points and rebounds. If you aren’t counting him in the mix for the National Player of the Year, then you are crazy.
But, on Thursday, Kofi is going up against a formidable force. John Harrar for Penn State has great size at 6-foot-9, 240-pounds, and he is built like brick you-know-what. Harrar is currently averaging 10.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game this season. Those numbers have been even higher as of late.
Over the past six games, Harrar is averaging 12 points and 12.7 rebounds per contest. Those are All-Big Ten caliber numbers.
So, a big question I have for Thursday night is who will win the big man battle? Kofi is the better center, but Harrar can hold his own. History is in favor of Kofi as well.
Harrar has played in six games against Illinois for his career and is averaging 3.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. On the other hand, Kofi has played in three games against Penn State and has averaged 19.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. But this is a much-improved Harrar. It will be a fun battle to watch.
Add us as a preferred source on Google