Writing Illini
Fansided

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 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next
Illinois basketball
Mar 16, 2023; Des Moines, IA, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Luke Goode (10) shoots the ball as Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Eric Musselman reacts during the first half at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Luke Goode solidifying 3-and-D

When the best shooter on the team misses the majority of a season, then things can go off the rails. That happened in 2022-23 with the Illinois basketball team.

Luke Goode only had a chance to play in 10 games for the Illini last season. His first game back was on February 11 against Rutgers. That means in the first 23 games, Illinois didn’t have Goode’s three-point shooting or defense. Moreover, the team didn’t have the ability to gel with Goode on the court.

I think there is a chance the 2022-23 campaign is a little different if Goode was healthy for the entire year. He would have been able to provide a lot of scoring, and we probably would have won more games, which would have put us in a better seeding in the NCAA tournament.

Looking at the box score against the Madrid All-Stars, Goode had the type of game that I would have expected out of him for most of last season. He was the classic 3-and-D player that I have come to know.

Goode would finish the Madrid game with eight points, five rebounds, and one steal on 3-of-8 shooting from the field and 2-of-6 from three-point range. His ability to shoot the deep ball, even if he only shoots 33.3%, brings the defense out to the perimeter. This opens up the paint for players like Terrence Shannon Jr. and Sencire Harris to drive the ball.

There is so much that Goode, directly and indirectly, does for this Illinois basketball team. I can’t wait to finally get to see him play a healthy season.

Home/Illinois Basketball