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

3. Will there be more ball movement

On paper, the Illinois basketball team has been one of the best teams in the country when it comes to moving the ball. Getting the ball whipping around the court will lead to assists.

Right now, the Illini are averaging 15 assists per game, which ranks No. 59 in the nation. That number has actually plummeted in the last three games, though. Before the December 2 matchup against Maryland, Illinois actually ranked No. 22 in the country with 17.1 assists per game.

When Illinois has more than 11 assists in a game this season, we are 6-0. When we have 11 assists or fewer in a game, the Illini are 1-3.

So, against Alabama A&M, I am going to be watching to see if the ball is moving around the court to enable Illinois to get open looks and make buckets.

There has been too much me-ball in the past three games, especially against Penn State, and not enough we-ball. I need to see Illinois work as a team instead of everyone trying to get their own.

In the last three games alone, Illinois has failed to get over 11 assists in each contest. That is a big reason we are 1-2 in the last three.

One thing I noticed in the last game against the Nittany Lions is that Illinois is good at screening and rolling. Coleman Hawkins is perfect for this role, as he is a big man who is athletic. He can see screens happening and see where the open man is going to be. I believe, at 6-foot-10, Hawkins is our best ball distributor. He is someone who can start getting the ball moving.