Illinois Basketball: 5 observations from the Illini win over Lindenwood

5. 2022 freshman class is something special

I knew that the class of 2022 had a ton of talent. They were ranked as the No. 10 class in the country, and it was a good mix of guards who could pass and shoot the ball.

While the freshman class was talented coming out of high school, it usually takes them a while to get adjusted to the college game. They usually don’t pick the game up quickly. That isn’t the case at all with the Illinois class of 2022.

Illinois’ freshmen continued to impress me on Friday night. They bring so much energy and talent to the court. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the freshmen, I don’t think this team is nearly as good. I am not sure if we are a top 25 team.

Skyy Clark, a freshman, led Illinois against Lindenwood in scoring and assists with 19 points and four assists on the night. Jayden Epps, a freshman, was fourth on the team in scoring with 12 points, which was the most out of any bench player. He also led the team in steals with three steals on the night.

I would argue that Sencire Harris, a freshman, is our best defender on the team. When he comes into the game, Illinois gets a jolt from his defense. He can flip the script. He would finish with seven points, two assists, two steals, and one rebound.

Ty Rodgers, a freshman, is a do-everything type of player. He would end the game with two points, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Rodgers will hit his stride sometime this season and when he does, this kid is going to tear through the Big Ten.

I think you could make an argument that a lineup of Clark, Epps, Harris, Rodgers, and let’s throw Dain Dainja in there because he only played in three games before coming to Illinois, could be a top 25 team by themselves. That is how special I think the class of 2022 is for the Orange and Blue. They are poised to win this program a national title.