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Illinois Basketball: Projected Illini lineup after the Jayden Epps departure

By Rees Woodcock

Jan 24, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ty Rodgers (20) grabs a rebound during the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 24, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ty Rodgers (20) grabs a rebound during the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND – DECEMBER 02: Ty Rodgers #20 of the Illinois Fighting Illini plays against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center on December 02, 2022 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND – DECEMBER 02: Ty Rodgers #20 of the Illinois Fighting Illini plays against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center on December 02, 2022 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

No. 3 Guard/Forward

Starter: Ty Rodgers (SO)

Illinois was able to land a freshman class that consisted of four four-star recruits and ranked No. 11 in the country for 2022. Just one year later, half of that recruiting class left the program. But I would argue, the best defender, Sencire Harris, and the best overall player, Ty Rodgers, are still with the team.

Rodgers is coming off a huge season where he showed a ton of promise as a player. That is why I have him starting at the No. 3 spot on the team. Rodgers’ numbers weren’t eye-popping by any means. He averaged 3.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game, but if you watched Illinois play, you could tell this kid is going to be a star. The biggest issue he has is finishing around the hoop. He missed a ton of layups. Let’s fix that and practice some free throws, and I think Rodgers is an All-Big Ten type of player.

Backup: Scholarship #3

It is clear that Illinois needs more depth out on the wing. We can rotate players in and out of this No. 3 spot, but Brad Underwood needs to go into the transfer portal and snag a player to help Rodgers.

There are plenty of talented wings out there who can drop 10 points per game. This would be optimal. I want Rodgers to start, but I want someone who can come in and contribute solid minutes. This will be crucial for the team’s success next season.

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