Illinois Basketball: 3 things to watch for in the Illini game against Alabama A&M

Illinois basketball needed a rebound game in a big way, and I believe that is what we will be getting with Alabama A&M.

This should be a get-right game for the Illini. The Bulldogs are not a good program, so this is a chance for Illinois to figure some things out and regain the confidence we once had on the court.

There will be a few things I am going to be keeping an eye on, though. This game might be a blowout, but I want to see if a few things have changed since the drubbing we took against Penn State.

Here are three things to watch for in the Illinois basketball game against Alabama A&M.

1. Can Illinois keep 3-point shooting close

Coming into the game last Saturday, the Illinois basketball team wasn’t a terrible three-point shooting defensive unit. We ranked No. 73 in the nation, allowing opponents to shoot 30.4% from the three-point arc.

But then the big collapse against Penn State happened. Illinois looked terrible when it came to perimeter defense, and the Nittany Lions would end up hitting 50% from three-point range. This was the worst three-point defense the Illini had played all season.

I will be watching to see if Illinois can either win or keep the three-point shooting percentage close to Alabama A&M on Saturday.

The Illini had a better three-point shooting percentage than our opponent in the first six games and a record of 5-1. In the last four contests, we have had a worse three-point shooting percentage than our opponent in three games and a record of 2-2.

On top of all of that, Alabama A&M is a good three-point shooting team. They are hitting their shots from deep at a clip of 36.7%. That is kind of scary.

Thankfully, the Bulldogs give up a ton of points. This should bode well for the Illini, but I will still be watching to see if we can get back on the good side of the three-point shooting percentage.