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Illinois Basketball: 5 thoughts from the Illini box score against the Madrid All-Stars

By Rees Woodcock

Dec 4, 2012; Champaign, IL, USA; The Big Ten logo displayed on the court before the game between the Western Carolina Catamounts and the Illinois Fighting Illini at Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Bradley Leeb-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2012; Champaign, IL, USA; The Big Ten logo displayed on the court before the game between the Western Carolina Catamounts and the Illinois Fighting Illini at Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Bradley Leeb-USA TODAY Sports /
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Illinois’ Sencire Harris shoots the ball during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament first round match-up between Illinois and Arkansas, on Thursday, March 16, 2023, at Wells Fargo Arena, in Des Moines, Iowa.0316 Illinos Arkansas 007 Arw
Illinois’ Sencire Harris shoots the ball during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament first round match-up between Illinois and Arkansas, on Thursday, March 16, 2023, at Wells Fargo Arena, in Des Moines, Iowa.0316 Illinos Arkansas 007 Arw /

3. Could we see a more active offensive role for Sencire Harris?

When we last left the Illinois basketball team, we were floundering out of the first round of the NCAA tournament. This wasn’t a great way to end the 2022-23 campaign.

In this final game, Sencire Harris played 12 minutes and scored two points on 1-of-3 shooting from the field. Last season was strange for the true freshman, as he was looked at as more of a defensive guy who brings a lot of energy to the court. Could we be seeing a blossoming start to his sophomore season, though?

I believe there were flashes of offensive competence for Harris last season. There were players ahead of him who needed the ball more, so he had to be more passive. But I thought Harris had some solid ability on the offensive end of the court.

Harris would actually finish his freshman season No. 5 on the team in three-point shooting. He knocked down 31.7% of his three-pointers. In the game against the Madrid All-Stars, it seems that we may be getting a more active offensive role out of Harris in 2023-24.

Harris would play the most minutes in the game against Madrid. He would log 23 minutes of action and finished the game with 14 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field and 1-of-5 from three-point range. This type of offensive production was not usual from Harris last season. In fact, the most shots he took in a game last season was nine against Eastern Illinois.

It is just an exhibition game, but this box score has me wondering if Harris is going to be more of a scorer this upcoming season.

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