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Illinois Basketball: 3 things to watch for in the Illini game against Penn State

By Rees Woodcock

Dec 6, 2022; New York, New York, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood coaches his team during a time out against the Texas Longhorns during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2022; New York, New York, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood coaches his team during a time out against the Texas Longhorns during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Illinois basketball
Nov 25, 2022; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Skyy Clark (55) drives the ball up court during the first half against the Lindenwood Lions at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

Illinois basketball is back on the hardwood on Saturday as we take on the Penn State Nittany Lions.

The Illini are coming off one of the biggest wins in recent memory. We were able to take down No. 2 Texas in amazing comeback fashion on Tuesday, and now Illinois is looking for another win to move up even further in the upcoming AP Top 25 poll.

Taking down Penn State is going to be tough, though. They are a good program that can shoot the ball well. The Illini will have to be on their game.

Here are three things to watch for in the Illinois basketball game against Penn State.

1. Can Skyy Clark find his groove

When you are a freshman, sometimes you are going to find the college game a little tough. That happens because you just came from the high school ranks and are still a teenager.

On top of all of that, someone like Skyy Clark has to also try to live up to a high billing. He is a freshman player who is just a teenager, but he is also a top 35 player in the class of 2022. That means he should make an impact on a team immediately.

Through nine games, Clark is still trying to find his footing with the Illinois basketball program. It is taking him some time because, well, sometimes it just takes time to gel.

I don’t think the speed of the game is too much for Clark. My assumption is that with Montverde Academy, Clark was the lead dog. He was the No. 1 on that team. With the Illini, Clark isn’t the lead dog. He has a bunch of alphas taking control of the game. That is a major adjustment for someone who is used to being the man.

I have zero doubt that Clark will figure out his role this season and will then grow into a bigger leadership role during the 2023-24 campaign. On Saturday against Penn State, I am going to see if Clark starts to figure things out. He is averaging 7.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game, which aren’t bad numbers by any means. But, if you watch the game, you can tell he is struggling on the court.

Give this kid time, though. Clark has great talent and will develop in his role. Hopefully, the Penn State game will help him move closer to finding that role.

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