Illinois Basketball: 5 observations from the Illini loss to Marquette

5. Is Marcus Domask the best player on Illinois

I was completely wrong about Marcus Domask coming into the season. After playing at Southern Illinois for four seasons, Domask transferred into the Illinois program.

There are a lot of players who transfer in from small programs and are just role players. They fill a hole and average somewhere in the ballpark of five points per game. That is kind of what I expected out of Domask. Egg on my face.

Domask is a superstar. He isn’t even close to a role player for the Illinois basketball program. In his first two games this season, Domask was just getting used to the new team and was getting acclimated to the position he would be playing for the Illini.

On Tuesday night against Marquette, Illinois fans got to see the real Domask. He played 34 minutes and was sensational for the program. Domask finished with 18 points, six rebounds, one block, and one steal on 6-of-13 shooting from the floor and 3-of-7 from three-point range.

I also wanted to point out that Domask didn’t turn the ball over one time against the Golden Eagles. He also made all three of his free throw attempts. That is something not a lot of Illinois players can say they can do on a given night.

Domask is electric with the basketball. He has great handles and can create his own shot. I loved what I saw out of him against Marquette. When Domask was doing his thing, he reminded me of someone like Jimmer Fredette. A pesky quicky player who is going to run you around screens until he gets an inch of open air. And then he knocks down a three-pointer in your eye.

We are three games into the Illinois basketball season, and this question is already creeping into my head. Is Domask our best player? It is way too early to tell, but you know what; maybe.