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Illinois Basketball: 4 big questions for the Illini vs Iowa

By Rees Woodcock

Feb 27, 2022; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts during the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 27, 2022; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts during the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Illinois basketball
Mar 3, 2022; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn (21) and Penn State Nittany Lions forward John Harrar (21) battle for position under the basket during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Will Kofi dominate the glass?

It was announced this week that Kofi Cockburn is in the top 15 for the Wooden Award. That means he is one of the top players in the college game.

I believe it was obvious Kofi was going to make the cut for the top 15. He is an incredible player who has put the Illinois basketball team on his back for the past few seasons.

Kofi is currently averaging 21 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. His points are No. 11 in the country, and he is No. 10 in rebounds. Those are both impressive feats.

The rebounding ability is what has really stood out to me over time, though. Having him in the paint waiting for a rebound is a great luxury to have for the Illini. Kofi’s physical size alone enables him to pull down rebounds better than just about anyone in the nation.

In the last game against Iowa, Kofi’s great rebounding ability was on display. He would end up pulling down 18 rebounds in the first matchup, five of which were offensive rebounds. This was one of his best games on the glass this season.

One of my big questions for the game on Sunday is can Kofi dominate the glass once again? I ask this question because he has had kind of a rough stretch on the boards as of late.

In the past four games, Kofi hasn’t hit double-digit rebounds. He has only averaged 6.3 rebounds during this stretch, which is a little worrisome. Illinois is going to need his big presence on the inside.

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