Illinois Basketball: 3 big questions for the Illini against the Purdue Boilermakers

Feb 26, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood coaches during the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 26, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood coaches during the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
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Illinois basketball
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – FEBRUARY 08: Zach Edey #15 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against Brandon Lieb #12 of the Illinois Fighting Illini during the second half at Mackey Arena on February 8, 2022 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Illinois basketball is rounding out the season with one of the toughest games of the year against No. 5 Purdue.

No one outside of the Illini fanbase is expecting the Orange and Blue to come away with the victory. But I am sitting here telling you there is a chance. Not the Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber “So you’re saying there is a chance” gif. No, I legit mean that there is a chance for Illinois to win this game.

The Illini are going to need to play well, though. I have a few questions I want answered throughout the game.

Here are three big questions for the Illinois basketball team against the Purdue Boilermakers

1. What is going to happen with Zach Edey?

One of the biggest players in Big Ten history and the future conference player of the year is going to be a menace on Sunday.

There is no easy way to put this. Zach Edey is a giant. The kid is a monster physically, but he also has a polished game to go with his tremendous size.

So, one of the biggest questions I have for the game on Sunday is what is going to happen with Edey?

For the season, the 7-foot-4, 295-pound center is averaging 22.1 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. He is such a unique player, and Illinois is going to have a hard time guarding him.

I do like what Illinois has done lately with opposing big men, though. Even though Trayce Jackson-Davis and Hunter Dickinson put up decent numbers, they weren’t nearly as effective as they could have been against the Illini.

Brad Underwood has a game plan of dropping a second man onto the opposing team’s center. This forces the player to either pass the ball or put up a tough shot. When the player passes, Illinois tends to rotate well and there is usually a tough three-pointer hurled up.

I think this is going to be the strategy on Sunday. I see a lot of Dain Dainja and Coleman Hawkins being thrown at Edey. Don’t be shocked if Brandon Lieb gets a few minutes as well. If we can continue to execute the same defensive game plan as we did against Indiana and Michigan, we should be fine.